Honey Bee
by InnocentTraitor22
Summary: After taking over Lockhart's empire, Veronica Largo thought being a literary agent was the toughest challenge she would face. But after an incident at her flat Veronica returns to Hogwarts for her own safety while mass murderer, Sirius Black, is on the loose. (Follow up to my story 'Worker Bee')
1. The New Teacher

**Thank you to those who read my story Worker Bee, I hope you enjoy this one as much as the last.**

"Of all the places in the world, I never thought I would be going back to Hogwarts." Veronica sighed as she zipped her suitcase for the last time and looked around her apartment.

It had been the three days since the incident and for her own safety both Severus and Dumbledore thought it wise she stay at the castle until Sirius Black was apprehended. Veronica fought them both on it, but soon she began to cave when she got a frantic phone call from her mother asking it she was alright.

It was the thought that she could have actually been murdered, and the terrified, frantic tone in her mother's voice that made her agree.

After she got the call she leaned on the wall outside of Severus's study with a sour, accusing look on her face.

"You _snitched_ on me." She growled pointedly as if they were children in the school yard as he exited the study and jumped a little at the sound of her voice. He kept forgetting she was there, she was so quiet and he was used to being utterly alone.

"I did what I thought was right" He nodded and she crossed her arms.

"How did you even get my mother's number?"

"I didn't, I went through your sister."

Veronica fumed. "That was _way_ out of line, Severus. I wasn't _going_ to tell them."

"If _My_ daughter was the victim of a violent crime, I'd want to know" Severus pointed out as he tried to walk out of the conversation.

"I wasn't the victim of a... _don't you walk away from me_!" She marched in front of him firmly. "I wasn't the victim of a violent crime, and it wasn't nice to scare my mother like that"

"Alright, alright. Hackles down." He raised his hands in a sign of surrender. "Look, I apologize. But it was the only way to get you to agree."

"It was a dirty, underhanded trick and you're better than that."

Severus scoffed and smirked a little. "I'm flattered you think so highly of me."

"Just…" Veronica sighed and folded her hand. "Please be upfront with me from now on? Please? I can't stand people going behind my back like that."

Severus bit the inside of his cheek, wanting to remind her that he _had_ been upfront with her at first but she was just too damn stubborn to listen to reason.

"Fine, I promise from now on to be semi-honest with you." Severus agreed and Veronica raised an eye brow critically. " _Fine,_ mostly honest."

Veronica breathed. That was the best she was going to get.

"Alright. But I'm still mad at you." She pouted.

September rolled around and soon Veronica was packing for Hogwarts once again, thankfully she didn't need to haul crates of books with her this time.

It had been decided that since Veronica would be at the castle anyway, she would be willing to help out teachers when she was able, between keeping things on track as an agent.

Her quarters were moved from below the Defense Classroom to by the Library where Madame Pince's chambers were.

"Veronica Dear" The older, pinched faced woman greeted her with a smile that didn't seem quite right on her face. "How nice to see you again."

"It's good to see you Irma." Veronica smiled as she slugged her bag off her shoulder and on to a modest chair as the Librarian entered the small room. "I just wish it was under better circumstances."

Irma's face soured again, "Oh I saw that in the Prophet, You must have been terrified." She hugged Veronica tightly and pulled away. "Not to worry, you'll be safe here."

"Here's hoping" the woman sighed and looked around. "How have you been? I'm sorry I haven't written as much as I should but I've just been so busy."

"Oh, you know. Day in day out." Irma sat as Veronica did as the two returned to their old ways, exchanging gossip and new updates on their lives.

"So…" Irma sipped at a cup of tea Veronica had prepared. "All this publicity and everything, are you seeing anyone?"

"Oh God" Veronica sighed and laughed and Irma shrugged.

"I'm just asking."

"No, between trying to keep the books in the spotlight and all the madness going around I'm afraid dating has been a commodity I can't afford" Veronica informed her. "I don't mind though, if it happens it happens."

"I read your stories in the Prophet, and those magazines." Irma prompted, "I guess that English degree did come in handy, huh?"

"Oh yeah." Veronica nodded. "You should have heard my mother on the phone, you'd have thought the Pope was in London."

Irma laughed and nodded, looking her friend up and down. "Buy the way, I _love…"_ she reached over and flicked the ends of Veronica's hair over her shoulder. "What you've done for your hair."

"Do you?" Veronica tousled the straight locks, "You should have seen Severus when he saw it. For a second I thought I'd turned green."

"Oh? When was this?"

"Uh, the night of the incident. We met up for coffee and talked a while." Veronica shrugged and Irma's eyes widened. "No, No! Don't you even think it, Irma Pince!" She quickly added as a sly smile spread across the woman's face.

"Alright, alright. My Lips are sealed." She waved it off. "Have you seen the new Defense teacher yet?"

"Mm" Veronica swallowed the last of her tea and shook her head. "No, not yet. What's their name?"

"Remus J. Lupin" Irma repeated slowly. "That's not the only new thing around here. Guess what else?"

"Huh?"

"The Ministry is sending Dementors to guard the school until Sirius Black is caught."

Veronica choked a moment and blinked with wide eyes. "Are you serious?"

"Dead." Irma shivered. "They arrive just after the students do. "

"Why here?" Veronica asked curiously and Irma eyed her.

"Why because of you, and the Potter boy. Black was supposed to be in the Dark Lord's circle you see? His whole family was. And Black is the one who sold the Potters out to You-Know-Who. Then after the Dark Lord was defeated, Black killed one of the Potter's friends and 13 muggles."

Veronica's hands went cold at the eerie retelling of the tale. "Well what does that have to do with me and Potter?"

"Well now that he's out, Black's going to try and finish what You-Know-Who started. And now that you defeated You-Know-Who last year in the Chamber, He's going to be after you to, _and_ Harry Potter. That's why Snape and Dumbledore wanted you to come back so badly, so you'd both be safe."

Veronica swallowed nodded. "Makes sense, I still don't know how Black could have found out about the Chamber. I mean it's not like they get the post or anything."

"Who knows? One of life's great Mysteries." Irma stood. "I'd best be off, but you should walk a bit around the castle. I'm sure everyone would be glad to see you."

Veronica smile and saw her out before sighing and taking her advice to heart, setting out up the stairs and into the empty Hall way.

The door to her Quarters was nearly invisible to the naked eye, and it had to be pressed on in a certain way to open. Veronica was certain she would lose track of it within the first week.

The red sweater she wore was almost too warm for the unseasonably cheerful September morning but she shrugged it off and wandered down the hall.

The Portraits waved at her cheerfully as she passed and Nearly Headless Nick greeted her warmly. "Back for another year then Madame Largo?"

"Just here to help out, Sir Nicolas." She replied as she passed and made for the Transfigurations Classroom.

"Hello?" She peered in and found Minerva setting out text books in a green work robe.

She turned with a curious expression on her face before smiling kindly. "Veronica, welcome back Dear."

"It's good to be back, Minerva. How are you feeling?"

"Oh just fine, come in, come in." The Scottish witch insisted as Veronica left the doorway. "I'm sorry about, well you know…"

"Oh don't be. I'm fine." Veronica laughed it off. "The only thing he hurt was my dignity."

"Well, all the same it will be nice knowing you're alright" The woman patted her arm before blinking and touching her shoulders. "My goodness, your _hair_."

"Is it really that much of a change?" Veronica asked and Minerva shrugged.

"You just look different, not quite older but..." she shook her head "Never mind, have you met the new teacher yet?"

"No, but he must be very interesting if people keep asking me if I've met him? If he here?"

"He's in the classroom."

"Well then, I'll go welcome him." Veronica nodded. "It was lovely seeing you again Minerva."

"You to dear" the woman went back to her books as Veronica left for the old Defense classroom and find a tall, skinny figure there with sandy brown hair. He wore a set of old, patched robes that almost seemed to be a quilt.

"Mr. Lupin?"

He turned to reveal a youngish face covered with small scars and two bright blue eyes. "Yes?"

"Veronica Largo, I wanted to come by and meet you." She smiled and he looked her up and down before smiling and outstretching his hand.

"So you're the young lady all the papers are going on about." He shook her hand and nodded. "How very nice to meet you at last. The Headmaster said you would be helping out again this year."

"Yes, I was Lockhart's assistant before he…uh…hit his head." She swallowed the lie she had fed to the board and to the press.

Lupin smiled and looked around the room. "Well, I'd be glad to have your help around here if you can spare it. I understand you're very busy."

"Not so much busy as trying to get my bearings." Veronica shrugged. "Have you been teaching long?"

"Uh, no actually this is my first time." Lupin nodded.

"Oh, well then good luck." Veronica smiled.

She had taken in instant liking to him. He had an easy going air about him, like a man strolling through a park. Despite the scars that marked his skin he smiled brightly without seeming phony and even though they had just met she suspected him to be a genuinely kind man.

"Pardon?" a deep rumble of a voice echoed from the doorway and they turned to find Severus's dark form standing impatiently with his arms crossed. "I don't mean to _interrupt_ but I wonder if I might have a word with you" He eyed Lupin with a well-hidden amount of distrust. " _Alone_ "

Veronica blinked at the venom in his tone but shook it off and nodded. "Of course, pardon me. I hope to see you at the Feast this evening Professor." She smiled and Lupin shook his head.

"Please, just call me Remus."

"Very well" Veronica nodded and made for the door. "Excuse me" she slipped past Severus who entered the room and closed the door the second she was out.

She thought back to the harsh tone Severus had used directed at the new teacher but sighed and shook her head, he was an icy man until you knew him so perhaps he was this way with her as well and she just didn't notice it.

Or he was still bitter about being passed over for a man with no teaching experience, _again._

Either way she was sure he would mellow out as the year started.


	2. And So it Begins

Veronica fingered through her new wardrobe with a skeptical look on her face.

She wanted to dress up a bit for the Welcoming Feast, but all the new business clothes Lealand had convinced her would give her a more serious appearance didn't really seem right.

All the colors seemed muted or dark and while they didn't look bad they just didn't look like something she could pull off. Finally she sighed and settled on one of her older blouses, a black V-neck one long sleeves and small white polka dots and a black pencil skirt. Still the outfit seemed incomplete until she topped it with a black wool robe and a string of white pearls.

"Right, that will do." She breathed and made for the door. The First Year students would be just across lake by now, and the older ones riding up in carriages. As she walked the empty halls she heard a whoosh past her head and paused.

"Oh N…" she didn't even get to finish her exclamation before the impertinent Poltergeist made his appearance, zipping past her and sending a gush of wind with him that blew her clothes and hair about wildly.

"Ickle Ronnie-kins, back again!" Peeves cackled loudly.

"Oh shove off you!" Veronica hissed and started back down the hall until she felt a looming threat just above her.

Hesitantly she forced herself to look up in time to see a small storm cloud hovering just over her head, heavy, black, and smelling of rain.

"Don't. You…" again she was cut off as Peeves cackles and a strong shower of cold rain drenched her almost instantly, accompanied by miniature thunder booms and bolts of tiny yellow lightening.

She didn't have time to scold the pest before he swept down the hall, laughing like mad and Veronica tried to step out from under the storm cloud, only for it follow her.

"Finite Incantartum!" she growl, pointing her wand at the cloud and watched it disperse slowly as the rain slowed to a drizzle, then vanished entirely.

With a quick sigh of discomfort, Veronica looked down at her drenched self with drooping shoulders.

"Perfect."

"Good heavens" Remus rounded the corner to find the woman dripping and soaked to the bones. "What happened to you?"

"Peeves" Veronica growled and attempted to dry her clothes quickly, despite being poor at such simple charms. "Our resident Poltergeist, last year he made me his favorite so I guess he plans on keeping up the tradition."

"The Headmaster sent me to retrieve you, but I fear…oh here, let me." He pulled out his wand and pointed it at her clothing, reciting a simple drying charm. "I fear we both may be late."

"Oh I'm sorry. " Veronica sighed as her clothing crisped as if it had just been pulled out of a dryer. "Thank you. Maybe you should be the charms teacher instead."

Remus chuckled and stowed away his wand in his robes. "Shall we then."

"Certainly, you seem to be finding your way around fairly easily. I must have gotten lost a dozen times when I first arrived." Veronica noted as they walked.

"I attended Hogwarts as a lad, thankfully it hasn't changed all that much." Remus nodded and looked around fondly as if every brick held a memory. "Did you go to Hogwarts as well?"

"No, I studied abroad in America. Massachusetts." Veronica shook her head.

They reached the great Hall and made it to the head table before Severus made his appearance. Not unusual, he didn't like to be around until he was needed. But while he wasn't about Veronica thought it would be considerate to speak to Remus on the matter of the Potions Master.

"Remus?"

"Yes?"

"About earlier today, I'm sorry if Severus seemed rather cold to you. He's just…a little weary of strangers." She blurred the truth just a little bit but Remus shook his head with a smile that was somehow sad but knowing.

"You needn't apologize on Severus's behalf, Veronica. I am well acquainted with his temperament." He shrugged.

"Oh?" Veronica blinked.

"Yes, we were school mates here. We were not the best of chum, but I am sure that will not affect our professional attitudes toward each other. But still, I think it best not to bring it up around him, for comfort's sake that is." Remus assured her as, almost as if on cue, Severus entered.

The second he saw Remus next to Veronica he swallowed and covered a stony scowl with a look of utter indifference.

But in the inside he was whirling.

Over the summer he had accustomed himself with the fact that he had allowed himself to stupidly grow attached to the stubborn, doe eyed woman.

He cared for her, alright?

Fine, he thought, I can admit that. There's no harm in it for now.

But now Remus was here.

God Damn it all.

Soft spoken, intelligent, and fairly open Remus who had made Veronica smile and laugh upon their very first meeting.

Soon, Severus was sure, one of these days Veronica would be spending free evenings in Remus's office, talking of books and spells and laughing.

And Severus, who was dour, standoffish, and embittered, would be swept under the rug; unable to compete.

Then he thought back to last year, and the week Veronica had spent literally under the same roof with him.

She was cheerful, and while not overly loquacious they never ran out of things to talk about.

Could he possibly be cast aside so easily?

He hoped not.

"Severus! I was wonder when you'd show up." Veronica beamed and turn to look at him before sensing a chilly, off putting air about him. "What's the matter?"

He blinked before pushing all former thoughts to the back of his mind, buried deep down as if at the bottom of a mine shaft.

"Nothing." He spoke plainly as Veronica eyed him carefully but shrugged and turned.

"Veronica, my dear girl." Dumbledore seemed to appear from nowhere, as was his habit, and Veronica stood with a smile.

"Good evening headmaster." She nodded as the old man swept up and shook her hand.

"So glad you could come this year, I'm sure after that little talk we had…"

"Actually it was Severus who finally convinced me." She cast her scalding eyes upon him as he smirking knowingly and raised his glass. "Snitch"

"Mule" He shot back.

"Nag"

"Alright you two" Dumbledore lightly chastised them. "Let us _try_ to be adults in front of the students."

Veronica returned to her seat but Severus wished to play this game further, and gently tried to prod a reaction out of her. "So have you heard from your sister recently? Lovely woman."

Veronica's jaw subconsciously tightened at the sound of Severus referring to another woman as _lovely._ "She married" she spat out hurriedly in a tone that was both accusatory and defensive.

Severus frowned, not getting the blithe yet mildly irritated reaction he wanted. "I know that, you told me."

"Oh, right." Veronica nodded, the green eyed monster slowly subsiding and replacing itself with embarrassment.

Meanwhile Remus watched the two with extreme attentiveness, like a biologist watching two rare birds communicate.

He had never really seen Severus smile before, even the small one he shot Veronica. Nor had he ever heard his former classmate joke of _anything._

Veronica was a sweet girl, she didn't seem to have a mean bone in her entire body.

Severus had maybe one sweet bone in his right foot, but the rest of them were mean to the core.

He recalled Severus's demeanor after he walked in on Remus and Veronica. He had been tight, as if his insides were twisted around a maypole. After Veronica left he remained so until Remus noted what a nice girl she seemed to be.

Then Severus's features, for a split second, warped into a hateful, poisonous look that wanted Remus to drop dead in the next four seconds but the Potions Master covered it up masterfully and didn't reply, only speaking directly about the Wolfsbane potion then leaving as quickly as he came.

Remus wasn't sure if Severus would tell Veronica about Remus's "furry little secret", but the potions master was semi-willing to provide Lupin with the potion he needed to keep from going mad every month.

Though Remus often suspected the Severus's main motive for doing so was so he could use Remus as a sort of lab rat, test subjects weren't exactly lining up to offering their bodies for the sake of research.

But now Severus seemed calm, and relatively at ease for the moment.

"Have you contacted Rachel's husband yet? About the trip next summer?" Veronica inquired of the potions master and he nodded slowly.

"I did."

"And?"

"And he offered, and I told him I had to think it over." Severus said casually and Veronica rolled her eyes.

"What is there to consider? You said yourself it would the chance of a life time." She scoffed and shook her head.

"We shall see." Was all he said in reply as Dumbledore began to address them, informing them the students would be filing into the hall in Three, Two…

"And so it begins." Veronica smiled at the broad, tall doors opened and in flooded students ranging from second to seventh year and began to sit at their respective tables.


	3. Bringing Back Lockhart

Veronica listened to the welcoming speech with relative interest and stood politely when the Headmaster motioned to her and mentioned she had returned once again for the year. As she rose and nodded to the crowd she was met with a healthy amount of polite applause until she sat again and Remus rose in tandem as Dumbledore introduced him and wished him all the luck in the world.

Veronica clapped with enthusiasm and beamed at him as he sat.

Suddenly Dumbledore turned grave in his tone and cast his blue eyes over the students who felt a tingle down their spines at his sudden turn in attitude. "Finally, on a more disquieting note," He began "At the request of the Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts with play host to the Dementors of Azkaban until further notice."

A troubled mummer spread throughout the crowd and Veronica eyed the windows of the Hall carefully, as if one of the terrible creatures were lurking behind the pane of glass at this very moment. It was creatures like Dementors, and people like You-Know-Who and Sirius Black, that kept Veronica's moderate faith in God alive. The optimist in her said that if there was such horrible evil in the world, than surely there must be an equally wonderful good as well.

"The Dementors will be stationed at the entrances to the grounds. While they are under strict orders not to enter the castle itself, you will on occasion see them as you go about your daily activities." The Headmaster informed them over the murmur. "Under no circumstances are you to approach them. It is not in the nature of a Dementor to be forgiving."

On that somber note the feast began and Veronica tried to push the worst case scenario out of her mind by sipping at her drink slowly and in silence. With Remus on one side and Severus on the other it didn't take a psychic to feel the tension around them.

Apparently Irma, who had been on the other side of Remus, felt it as well and thankfully broke the silence. "Veronica, how is your sister doing?"

Veronica thanked God for Irma Pince and smiled. "Very well, she had her baby just last month. A little girl."

"Oh how nice, what's her name?"

"Carmella." Veronica half turned in her seat so she and the Librarian could see each other.

"After you?"

"I'm afraid so, poor dear" Veronica said half-jokingly as Severus glanced at her.

"After you?"

"Oh, Carmella is Veronica's middle name. Well, one of them anyway." Irma informed him smartly and Veronica rolled her eyes.

"Yes, my Parents chose to carry the _unfortunate_ family tradition of multiple middle names." Veronica grimaced.

"Well what's your full name?"

"Please don't make me say it." She whimpered and hid her lower face behind her cup.

"I'm quite curious as well" Remus put in and Veronica eyed him.

"I can tell you." Irma offered and Veronica gaped.

"How do you know it?" she asked in shock and Irma shrugged.

"I do most of the paper work for the staff, I know just about everyone's full names." She informed them and not only did Veronica pout, Severus stiffened a little bit; uncomfortable that someone had access to his file.

"Fine, tell them. I don't care." Veronica crossed her arms in defeat and Irma smirked a little.

"It's really not that bad, it's Veronica Maria Carmella Francesca Largo."

"Wow, all of those names are _violently_ Italian." Severus noted with a hint of a jest in his tone But Veronica still kicked him under the table.

"Oh that's not that bad." Remus laughed, "I never understood the big deal about keeping middle names a secret anyway."

"This from the man with the middle name John?" Irma pointed out. "I know a few people who wouldn't agree with your sentiments."

"Alright, off the topic of names. Anyone have any predictions for this year? The new students?" Veronica asked and eyed the children in the crowd.

The trio overlooked the crowd and Remus began to speak before Veronica let out a small, yet ear piercing shriek as Peeves the Poltergeist shot out from under the table. Specifically from under Veronica's plate making food scatter about her place and toppling over her glass.

"Peeves!" The Bloody Baron, Slytherin's house ghost, bellowed loudly as the little cretin zipped through the air and out of the hall as Veronica growled and picked a bit of lettuce out of her bangs and off her skirt.

"The bloody creature is a menace." She muttered as Severus rolled his eyes and set back up her glass. "I swear to God he has it out for me."

"That's because you always give him the reaction he wants. You're too jumpy." Severus scolded her gently, he had learned to deal with the little pest early on while in school. "Just don't react to him."

"Well that's hard to do when he's popping out of the pot roast." Veronica pointed out

The feast ended and Remus insisted upon escorting Veronica back to her quarters.

"In case Peeves gets any more ideas." He explained politely and Veronica accepted his insistence with a rolled of her eyes and a passing "What a Gentleman".

As night began to fall Veronica opened the large window in her room and looked out over the lake and dull sandy shore. The autumn breeze cooled the room comfortably and she sat on the ledge and rested her head on the wall.

It was good to be back.

The next morning Veronica awoke eager and prepared in record times. The familiar clack of her heels on the tiles could be heard corridors over as she made for the great hall with a file sales reports under her arm on the way the breakfast.

"Good morning Madame Largo." A chipper voice spoke behind her and she turned to see the snowy haired Madame Hooch walking behind her, her long legs takes steps twice the size of Veronica's petite ones.

"Good morning Madam Hooch. Flying lessons begin today, yes?"

"That they do, but that is a sorry looking batch I must say." She muttered in a low voice in case any students were nearby. "Still, we may be able to hammer some skill into them yet."

"Here's hoping." Veronica nodded. "I could already see Wood sizing up the first years during the Sorting."

"He's got an eye for talent." Hooch admitted. "I've gotten letters from Quidditch scouts looking to recruit him by graduation."

"Really? Sounds like my brother Matt." Veronica shook her head. "He could have turned professional before his accident."

"Ah, Injury. The worst enemy on the Athlete." Hooch nodded regretfully before tapping her right knee. "I would know, wouldn't I? In line for a Beater's position on the Hollyhead Harpies, and what happens? I bust up my knee."

"That's awful." Veronica gasped and the older woman shrugged and shook her head.

"Nah, it's not all bad. I mean look at me now, training the next generation." She looked out the window to the Quiddich Pitch. "I tell you it's a thankless job being a teacher, but it's worth it I think."

Veronica smiled. "I think so to."

The arrived together to breakfast and Veronica watched the Post be delivered and picked up the Daily Prophet that landed before her. No sighting of Black yet, but the hunt was still on, some of Lockhart's stocks had gone up ever so slightly which was pleasing, and Negotiations between ministry workers on strike were still underway.

It was hard to see at first glance but Veronica could understand how Lockhart was sorted into Ravenclaw during school. He really was brilliant, just not terribly book smart. He was deviously tricky, and he was proud of it to.

"Stocks are up" Remus informed her as he approached the table cheerfully.

"I saw that. But some are down to, I pity whoever put money into WTIL." Veronica shook her head just as Severus stormed in looking in quite the foul mood with a paper clutched in his fist as his furious eyes glazed over the print.

"Son on a…What are those idiots doing down there!?" He growled as Veronica and Remus shared a glance.

"It's not all Bad Severus." Veronica comforted him as she gazed the rest of the finance page before stopping dead and going pale.

"Oh God."

"What's wrong?"

"Several investors have backed out of Jemstrip Publishing…that's the publisher that Lockhart has a contract with." Veronica swallowed hard and Severus sat down.

"You're going to have to spell that out at bit." He peered over her shoulder as she sat the paper down.

"Since Lockhart is no longer able to write more 'daring tales' I've had to keep everything in the spotlight to keep sales up" The woman explained "but if investors keep pulling out I'm afraid Jemstrip may start dropping contracts. And publicity can only keep us going for so long."

The section of the table when quiet as Veronica's mind reeled, now would be a great time for all those killer instincts Lucius was talking about to kick in.

"Well, all you need to do is stir up interest in the books again." Remus spoke softly.

Then three words were spoken by a voice that had never even considered uttering those words before.

"Lupin is right" Severus said suddenly. "Until your writing hits off you just need to find a way to recycle what Lockhart has to pick up speed again. It has a large enough fanbase it really shouldn't take that much."

Lupin froze and turned his head stiffly towards Snape who glared back at him in a way that said 'Don't get used to it'.

Veronica nodded. "You're right, you're right. I can't panic, I just need to think."

And think she did, long and hard.

For once she knew exactly what she needed to do since taking the new job, she needed to find a way to make Gildaroy Lockhart a household name again.

"I know what will take your mind off of it." Remus said, suddenly cheerful again. "Day is Hagrid's first class, maybe you'd care to help him out."

Veronica thought then nodded, making a note to speak to Hargid when he arrived. But her body was still tense and rigid from the news, thanking her lucky stars that a letter from the publisher hadn't arrive today informing her of their decision to drop her like a leper.

"Hey" She glanced over at Severus who reached under the table careful and squeezed her hand, "It's going to be alright. You can handle this."

She smiled, glad someone had confidence in her. "Thanks, Severus."


	4. Severus's Temptation

**Sorry I haven't been able to upload recently but my laptop charger has a loose wire or something and won't charge so I have to order a new one, It should be here soon but until then I'm using my school issued laptop, also I've been working on my own original fiction since my first story has been officially published. But here it is, sorry for the wait!**

Veronica spent the better part of the morning writing the publishers and Lockhart's publicist until there was nothing else she could do for the time being. So after about two hours of sitting at her desk, straining to locate her muse she temporarily turned her back on writing and decided to wander the grounds a bit.

With nothing more to do until someone bothered to get back to her, and writer's block taking up 90 percent of her brain, restlessness began to set in. Veronica never realized how much she relied on work to keep her busy. Her hands fidgeted, she paced the ground back and forth like a caged animal, and she suddenly realized why so many people took up smoking.

Luckily she had the teaching schedules memorized and knew Lupin had a free period in a half an hour and the time seemed to crawl by at a nearly snail like pace. As the bell rang and students filled the halls she tried not to seem too eager as she rushed to the familiar classroom and found Remus hovering over his desk.

"Uh, Hello?" she peered in shyly and Remus looked up then smiled.

"Veronica, I wasn't expecting you here."

"Well work's at a standstill. And Writer's block is ruining me" She confessed. "And I had to talk to someone or I'd go mad."

"Well then by all means, come in." He laughed and motioned her in.

"So how are you fairing, professor?" She asked curiously. "Is it all you dreamed it would be?"

"It's…interesting." His smile didn't falter. "I haven't royally messed up yet, so that's a plus." He paused a moment to think before looking out the window. "You know, I have a while before my next class. Maybe if you talk it out you'll break through your writer's block."

"Eh" Veronica crossed her arms, her writing process was a personal thing for her. It was practically sacred. The only person she had ever felt comfortable talking it out with was Vince, and most recently Severus who really just sat there without offering a lot of advice and letting her figure it out for herself. Which was why he was perfect for the job.

But Severus was busy right now, so that option was out and it was eating away at her.

"Let's talk about something else, maybe something will spark inspiration" She suggested and he nodded.

"Alright, sooo." He shifted, not exactly full of topics for conversation. "May I ask something? If it's not too personal."

"Well that depends on what personal means." She responded nervously, wondering if she had mistaken this man for a gentleman.

"What is your relationship with Severus?" He inquired. "I don't mean to sound rude but from what I recall of him he's not exactly the…friendly type."

"Oh!" Veronica laughed with relief, "Well we're friends. Good friends." She nodded and sat at one of the desks.

"I was just wondering you see because…I overheard from some of the students, not that it's true, that you and Severus last year were…eh…"

"Oh, _Oh!_ " Veronica blushed, "Oh that! Oh that's nothing, it's really a very funny story." She laughed. "You see Lockhart last year had taken it into his mind that Severus and I were… _fond_ of each other." She began and Remus sat at his desk, listening with great interest.

"So on Valentine's Day he decided to send a silly letter to me signed with Severus's name on it. Well somehow it got into the hands of a student I guess because the next thing you know all sorts of stories are flying around about the two of us"

Remus's smile grew at the very idea and Veronica snickered. "Well with all the tension in the school I convinced him to let the rumors fly for a while, to take the edge off everyone and besides I thought they would die down in a week or two…but I guess not."

"I guess not." Remus agreed and Veronica pursed her lips curiously.

"Out of interest, what version did you hear? There're so many I like to keep track of who's thinking what."

Remus thought before making for the door and shutting it tightly. "Well, I don't want to embarrass you…"

"Impossible, I've been subject to so much embarrassment I'm immune" Veronica teased as he swallowed.

"Well, without getting into too much detail. It involved you, Severus, and a broom cupboard."

Veronica's eyes wondered to the ceiling. "Well that narrows it down a bit…did there happen to be a candle involved? Or a silk shawl?"

Remus's eyes widened and Veronica's pursed lips spread into a vicious grin. " _Joking_ " She laughed and Remus's laughed in relief.

"Honestly though you mustn't believe a word of those silly rumors." Veronica assured him "Severus is a dear friend of mine, and we're very frank with each other."

She looked at the clock and smiled. "Speaking of which, I should get going?"

"Inspiration strike?"

"No, it's almost Severus's free period and I promised to meet him." She stood and began to make for the door. "I hope we can talk more soon."

"I feel quite the same way." Remus nodded and watched her go, his mind instantly returning to his work.

The bell rang once more and as students filed out of the dungeon class room Veronica slipped in and leaned on the wall waiting for the raven haired man to notice.

"Having fun yet?" she inquired and Severus sat at his desk with a sigh.

"Enlighten me, am I just an ill-tempered old grouch, or are these children legitimately getting _dumber_ every year?"

"I'm going to say a little bit of both." Veronica approached the desk with a smile. "So I just got finished talking to Lupin upstairs."

Severus resisted the urge to grimace and instead rolled his eyes. "Oh?"

"I guess the rumors from last year aren't quite extinct yet."

The teacher groaned and winced. "Oh _God, still?_ "

"And they're evolving if you can believe it" Veronica laughed. "I might just take one of them and write a romance novel instead"

"Oh no." Severus smirked. "At least wait until you're fifty to become a wash out."

Veronica laughed and leaned on the desk.

"So uh…" Severus thought. "What did Lupin have to say?"

"Not much, we didn't talk long since I wanted to come see you"

The remark sent a flood of smug satisfaction through the man. She like _him_ more than _Lupin_ , she prioritized him over Mr. Wonderful.

Spectacular.

"He told me the two of you went to school together." She added, making all satisfaction leave him in an instant. "Is that why you've been so cold recently?"

"Have I been cold?" He bristled.

"It seems so"

Severus was torn.

He didn't want Veronica to run to Lupin and leave him alone. But if she liked Lupin, and wanted to be his friend it would be cruel of him to keep her from it.

And she still didn't know about _it._

Maybe if she knew she wouldn't be so keen to hang around Lupin as much. He pondered, the truth just on the tip of his tongue.

"I know you two might not have been very friendly in the past. But don't you think it would be silly to allow the past to intrude on the present?" Veronica broke into his thoughts with a soft, questioning tone.

He didn't answer and she stood with a sigh. "I'll leave you to your work, I had better get some writing done." She slipped out quietly and Severus watched her go, conflict brewing inside him.


	5. He's been Spotted!

**_So this is more a continuation of the previous chapter. But the next chapter will be longer I promise._**

Veronica spent most the rest of the day in an aimless haze, until she ended up in the Hospital wing helping Madam Pomphrey re-label medicines.

The peace was disrupted by Hagrid lumbering in with a wailing student in his arms. "Madame Pomphrey!"

"Oh no…Hagrid what happened!" the nurse asked as she rushed to the bed Hagrid sat the boy on. It was Malfoy, clutching his bleeding arm to his chest in pain.

"A bit of an accident in class Madame Pomphrey, got on the bad side of a Hippogriff."

Veronica gasped as the nurse peeled away the shreds of fabric from the wound and tsked through her teeth. "Madame Largo, bring me that green bottle and the bundle of bandages."

Veronica acted quickly and sat by the boy and elevated his arm as the nurse worked faster than lightning.

Hagrid left them, mumbling apologies as Draco glared and uttered in a poisonous tone. "My father will hear about this"

"Just take it easy, Mr. Malfoy." Veronica sighed. "It's not that bad,"

Draco had become accustomed to Veronica due to her acquaintanceship with his father over the summer; and though he started off a little smartass, after Veronica learned to be more assertive Draco learned the hard way that he couldn't walk all over her.

After that he seemed to avoid her, and even after a month or two he seemed to have a respect for her.

"I'll go tell the headmaster there was an incident. Madame Largo, will you stay with him?"

"Yes ma'am" She nodded as the nurse fled and Draco moaned in pain, trying to see if he could get any more attention.

"Oh hush, you and I both know you aren't hurt that badly." Veronica leaned back in her chair and Draco frowned.

"So what happened?"

"That bloody beast attacked me for no reason!" He said defensively and Veronica eyed him carefully with an arched brow.

"Well uh…" the boy faltered and cast his eyes down to the ground. "Maybe I called in ugly, but…"

"But nothing." Veronica hushed him before frowned and crossing her eyes.

Still, she thought, it wasn't very wise of Hagrid to bring in a hippogriff for the first class.

She analyzed her nails, and jump as the wing doors burst open.

"Draco!" Pansy Parkinson rushed in backed by Crabbed and Goyle. "Are you alright!?"

Draco reverted back to his moaned and seemed to waver in and out of consciousness. "P-Pansy?"

"I'm right here Draco" Pansy seemed genuinely worried over Draco and Veronica felt a stab on indignation that Draco was milking if for all it was worth.

"Don't worry Draco, you're going to be fine!"

"Indeed he will." Veronica agreed. "Now if you children don't mind, Mr. Malfoy as a lot of resting to do." She ushered the reluctant students out and eyed Draco with a disapproving gaze.

"Just wait until your father hears about this."

And hear about it he did, straight from the horse's mouth. Or rather, Veronica's mouth.

He was furious alright, but not at the person Veronica wanted him to be.

"I want the OAF fired!" Lucius bellowed and Veronica, the elected parent tamer, sighed.

Her first instinct was to shrink away but she forced herself to stand firm and didn't give in to the man's bluster.

He was, after all, the one who taught her.

"Lucius I understand you are upset, you have every right to be. And I assure you there will be consequences. But I don't know if this is that much of tragedy. Children have been injured worse in potions accidents."

"Don't you go throwing Potions into this." Severus put in from the corner defensively.

"My point is, maybe we shouldn't make any rash decisions" She said through her teeth and Mr. Malfoy simmered violently.

"This isn't the end of this" He growled. "I'll be back"

Veronica resisted rolling her eyes. "Let me show you out sir."

She followed him to the gates and he turned to her. "One more thing Ms. Largo" He snapped and she eyes him without so much as a flinch.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"

He looked around before smirking with a hint of pride in it. "You're better at this than I thought you'd be."

She smirked right back at him and began to close the door. "I wasn't sure you'd noticed, _sir._ "

"That went well" Severus noted as she returned to the office. "Shall we to supper then?"

Veronica sighed and nodded. "I know I said I don't drink, but I am seriously reconsidering"

They walked together to the Great Hall and entered just as the evening post was dropped off by the owls.

Meanwhile Malfoy was still hamming it up with his arm in a sling.

Veronica glared at him but felt Severus's wide hand on the small of her back. "Keep walking" He muttered and ushered her up the short stairs.

Meanwhile the few students that saw the small gesture were quick to pass it on in hushed whispers.

"I told you mate" Fred whispered to a first year Hufflepuff whose jaw hit the ground. Lee Jordan watch them with a shake of his head and a disbelieving scoff.

"She could do better"

"What happened?" Remus asked as she sat down and Veronica poured herself a drink.

"We've held him off for now, but we haven't seen the last of him." She sighed and pressed her fingers to her forehead.

"He's been spotted! He's been spotted!"

The cry went up among the students. "Sirius Black! He's been spotted!"

Veronica gasped and looked at the paper before her, previously unnoticed. She scanned the report and swallowed. "Achtinee, that's not far from here." She felt the hair on her body bristle on end but a hand returned to her back.

"He won't come here, even he's not that mad." Severus assured her and Veronica smiled before setting down the paper.

"I thought you agreed to be honest with me."

"Mostly honest."

She nodded and sighed. "Here, take this from me. It won't do me any good to worry over it." She pushed the paper away, but had lost her appetite completely.

"You don't have to worry about anything" Remus insisted. "With the Dementors here he wouldn't dare come"

"Oddly enough Remus, the thought of Dementors isn't all that comforting." She muttered a little harshly.

"Don't mind her, she gets irritable when she's under stress." Severus nudged her and Veronica nudged him back.

"Do not."

"Eh heh, okay" He muttered and pushed a piece of fruit in front of her. "Here, your brain doesn't function properly without fuel."

Veronica mumbled under her breath but took a bite out of the apple none the less.

Thunder boomed outside the castle and Veronica jerked a little at the sound.

Later that night she sat in her room as the storm raged on. Rain pelted her window as in the distance lightning momentarily lit up the sky. With a sigh Veronica went back to writing before freezing instantly.

The hairs on her body stood up once again and she slowly straightened up and glanced at the large window.

Slowly the water on the glass began to frost and then freeze fully and Veronica's breath caught in her throat. Unable to move she watched with wide eyes as a large black shape drifted across her window, casting an ominous shadow.

The temperature began to drop and within seconds puffs of mist flowed from her lips as the room darkened.

Her heart turned cold as all the happiness fled her and a growing weight pressed in on her, as if she were in a trash compacted; trapped in at all sides.

It only lasted a few seconds but it felt like hours before the gruesome ghoul moved on and Veronica swallowed hard. After about a minute to make sure it was gone Veronica lunged forward and jerked the curtains shut before flying under the duvet of the bed.

It was the first time in eight years Veronica slept with the lights on with the blanket wrapped around her tightly. As if the down comforter would shield her from the monsters on the outside world. Soon she drifted off into an uneasy sleep.


	6. The Boggart

_**So I should definitely be doing my English essay, but I need a break.**_

Remus invited Veronica to sit in on one of his classes, an invitation she gladly accepted. She mostly just stood there and watched as the students filed in to the class room to find a giant black wood wardrobe that rattled and jerked hard.

"Intriguing yes?" Remus asked the class as he rounded to the front. "Now who would like to venture a guess as to what this wardrobe contains?"

"That's a boggart that is." Seamus Finnigan said in a hushed tone and Remus nodded.

"Very good Mr. Finnigan. Now can anyone tell us what a Boggart looks like?" Remus inquired and Hermione's eyes were trained on the wardrobe.

"No one knows" she responded. "A boggart takes the form of whatever a person fears most. That's what makes it's so…"

"So terrifying, yes" Remus nodded. "Luckily, a very simple charm exists to repel a Boggart."

Veronica watched with little interest as Remus taught, surprisingly less enthralled than she thought she would be.

"Let's practice it now, shall we? Without wands, please... Riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!" The class repeated and Draco Malfoy, who was standing in the back a little ways from Veronica scoffed.

"This class is ridiculous." He muttered and Veronica, while disapproving of the comment, suppressed a snicker.

"So much for the easy part. You see, the incantation alone is not enough. What really finishes a Boggart off is laughter. You need to force it to assume a shape you find truly amusing." He explained and pointed to the front. "Neville. Could you come up here please?"

There was a pause before the young man nervously stepped forward with a slightly stooped shoulders. "Yes sir?"

"Now Neville what would you say scares you the most?" Remus asked and the boy bit his lip before muttering softly under his breathe, making Remus lean forward a bit. "Sorry Neville, didn't catch that."

"P-professor Snape." Neville repeated a little louder and the class burst into giggles as Remus grinned good-naturally.

"Yes well, he scares all." He muttered. "Neville I understand you live with your grandmother."

"Yes" Neville sputtered with a blush. "But I don't want that boggart turning into her either!"

Veronica laughed at that one and strained to listen more.

"Now Neville, what I want you to do is…" He leaned in and whispered in the boy's ear and the boy's eyes grew wide in shock as Lupin pulled away with a cheeky grin. "Can you do that?"

"Y-yes sir." He nodded and Lupin smiled and made for the door.

"Right then, wand at the ready." He pulled open the door and stepped away, there was a pregnant pause before a single large, pale hand slinked out of the wardrobe followed by the rest of an identical Snape look-a-like that looked frighteningly angry. Its black eyes flashed viciously as Neville began to tremble.

"Think, Neville, think!" Remus urged him and Veronica watched with interest as Neville's trembling hand raised his wand and clenched his eyes shut hard.

"R-riddickulus!" He spat out and in a flash the boggart shifted until it was still Snape, just dressed in an utterly ridiculous get up of a green velvet house coat and an outlandish black feathered hat.

Even Veronica couldn't contain her laughed, though try as she might even with one hand clamped over her mouth her chest and shoulders still shook with silent merriment. As the class's laughter died down the next student stepped forward and soon every child was eagerly awaiting their turn.

The class ended on a somber note however, after Harry Potter stepped forward and the boggart shifted into a Dementor, making the student's gasp and Remus step in front of the boy and finish off the boggart himself.

He turned to the students with a sheepish smile. "Alright, that's enough for one day."

The students moaned with disappointment. "Now, now, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing."

He peered back the students. "Madam Largo I want to thank you for sitting in on the demonstration." Veronica this to be her sign to leave and nodded with a smile before slipping out silently.

She had expected the class period to be a passing giggle but true to Hogwart's nature, the news of Neville's boggart the hilarious acts following spread around fast.

At dinner Veronica waited for Severus to arrive and frowned as the meal commenced without sight of him.

"Have you seen Severus today, since this morning that is?" Veronica asked Remus as he slurped a stew.

"No, I don't think so. Why?" He inquired and Veronica's lips pursed tightly with hum as she stood.

"Maybe I ought to check in on him." She muttered and excused herself before slipping out of the hall and down to the dungeons.

"Severus?" she knocked on the door with no answer. "Severus…" she knocked again and crossed her arms "I know you're in there, can you at least let me know you're alive?"

There was a brief silence before an audible sigh behind the door as it squealed open. "Come in if you must." A voice droned halfheartedly as Veronica slipped and in and looked Severus up and down.

In the shadows he appeared much more dour than usual. "Someone's in a fine mood." She noted and offered him a small smile which he didn't bother to return.

He seemed detached, intentionally so.

"Something's on your mind." She stated and approached him a little. "Feel like sharing?"

"Not particularly." He winced and shifted away from her a little, which made her face twist in confusion.

"Did something happen?"

"You could say that."

"Well what?"

"Just drop it."

"Severus."

He glared at her heatedly. "I don't enjoy being laughed at." He hissed in the heat of the moment and Veronica was taken aback.

"What?"

"Nothing, never mind."

"Severus." She approached him willfully. "Hey, what are you talking about? I would never laugh at you."

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm n…" She cut off with eye wide as realization took over. "Oh. I…I guess I did." A sense of guilt began to brew in her stomach. "I…I'm sorry Severus. I hadn't thought that…well I didn't…There was no harm in it I mean." Her hands twisted behind her back. "I'm sorry."

Severus paused. "I…"

"Honest I am, I guess I didn't realize something like that might upset you."

Severus turned, "I…well it wasn't so much what happened as it was…well, when I heard you'd laughed as well."

Veronica frowned and sat down, motioned for him to follow. "What would that matter?"

"People have always laughed at me…I'm sort of used to it at this point, I don't care what they think about me." He confessed. "But I didn't want to think that you'd laugh to."

"Severus, just because I laughed don't mean I think any less of you!" Veronica half laughed, but it was an insistent sort. "I mean honestly, if I fell and made a fool of myself wouldn't you find it at least a little funny?"

Severus looked at her and frowned. "No. I'd be worried, but I see your point" He conceded and Veronica smiled and leaned on him a little.

"So are you still mad at me?"

He sighed, "No, I suppose I'm not."

She smiled and laughed a little. "So how did you find out?"

"I heard you went to sit in on Mr. Wonderful's class."

"Mr. Wonderful?" Veronica laughed heartily. "Severus Snape, do I detect a hint of Jealousy in your tone?!"

"I believe you're confusing jealousy with mild disdain." Severus quickly defended and Veronica rolled her eyes.

"Alright, well I think we've both missed supper." She sighed. "I wasn't hungry anyway, I'm still too on edge. I can't understand why the ministry would station the Dementors so close to the school."

"Well they're just on the outskirts of the grounds, it's not like any of the students will see them." Severus defended and Veronica frowned.

"The outskirts? One floated right by the window last night."

"What?" Severus sat up suddenly. "When?"

"Oh about eleven I suppose, nearly scared the life out of me."

Severus ground his teeth in thought and swallowed. "I'm going to bring that up with the headmaster."

"Oh Severus don't. If they keep Black away…"

"They're not allowed on the grounds." Severus informed her and stiffened a little. "Actually, Veronica I need you to promise me something."

"Yeah?"

"Don't go out after dark, no matter what."

"Why would I…?"

"I don't know" He cut her off in a slightly fearful tone. "I don't know why, but no matter what I need you to promise not to go out after dark and stay away from the forbidden forest."

Veronica frowned but nodded, it was a reasonable request given the circumstances. "I promise, but I wish to note I resent being treated like a child."

"I didn't mean…" He growled. "I don't want anything to happen to you, alright? There's a lot more to be worried about out there besides Sirius Black this year…"

Veronica smiled a little and rolled her eyes, "alright, alright, fine. I promise. Don't get your wand in a knot."

"Thank you." Severus nodded. "I know you think I'm paranoid."

"Only because you're acting like it"

"But trust me…I've got a bad feeling."

"That's probably because you haven't eaten since seven am."

"Can't you be serious?"

"You're serious enough for the both of us, just let me be cheerful" she scolded him lightly and he smirked a little.

"Fine"


	7. The Process of Writing

The first few months of the school year went by with little to no excitement. Veronica's stress levels went down after a letter from the publisher came stating that they had no intention as of yet to drop their contract but urged her to find a way to keep public interest in the books.

However one evening was particularly hard to get through after receiving not one, but four rejection letters from different publisher for her manuscript.

"Just got to keep trying, that's all." She swallowed, leaning against the stone wall in a shadowy corridor after dark. Severus knew she wasn't showing everything she felt, he knew from the tears fighting behind her lashes that she forced back but twinkled in the dim light and from the strain in her voice

She would spend hours upon hours at her desk, the large typewriter before her with its toothy metal smile leering out mockingly. She would churn out a page or two, read it over, edit, re-read, then throw it all out and start over again. She would often skip meals, fearing that if she moved, the second she was too far from her typewriter inspiration would strike then leave again.

By October she had seventy five pages of a novel going, using Remus, Severus, and Irma as peer reviewers. Remus backed out after the first two chapters, noting that he wasn't much of a horror fan, and Irma read it mostly out of disinterested politeness, but Severus seemed truly invested in the story.

By November it was 125 pages.

"I never marked you as a fiction fan, let alone horror." Veronica said at her typewriter as the hook nosed man sat at the end of her bed with his long legs crossed tightly and chapter ten in his hands.

"Since I was ten." He muttered, deeply absorbed in the work, occasionally marking a misspelling or a grammar error with red ink. "How do you come up with this anyways?"

"It just sort of happens. Don't you ever make up stories in your head?"

"Not really, I'm a left brain person. Not a right brain one."

"What does that mean?"

"The left brain handles analytical and mathematical thinking, like potions or calculus. The right brain handles emotions and personal connections and creativity." He spoke as if reciting a text book.

The steady clacking on the keys never ceased, pausing periodically to let out a click and a ching when the end of the line was reached. Once Veronica stopped a moment to stretch her aching fingers and pull her hair up into a scrunchie to get it out of her eyes as she read over her work.

"Lazy" she muttered in a tone thick with disdain. "Lazy, lazy, lazy writing." She jerked open a desk drawer and fumbled about vainly.

"Looking for something?"

"My white out. I may as well remove this entire paragraph." She growled and Severus shifted off the bed and leaned over her shoulder, scanning the writing with meticulous eyes.

"Hm, it's not awful. But you could do better. I'd say leave it in but make comments along the side so you can fix it in the rewrite." He suggested and Veronica eyed the paper with a certain amount of distrust, ask if the words would jump off the page and bite her.

Her hands were aching, her back and shoulders were bent and sore, her eyes were blurry and strained and her feet were totally numb.

"I'm tapped out." She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "How long have I been doing this?"

"Uh, let's see." Severus eyes the clock and winced. "Five hours. Thank God I finished grading before supper."

Veronica sighed and opened the large window by the desk, letting in a cool autumn that was laced with winter cold. The night outside was dark, and it was nearly impossible to decipher the black outlines of shapes in the moonless, starless night.

"There's supposed to be a snow storm coming." Severus remarked as he stared at her back. Veronica's eyes scanned the grey sky and the land below, her grip tightening then loosening on the brass handles of the window shuttered. The breeze fluttered her fly-away hairs and sent gooses skin up her arms and neck.

"That will be nice." She leaned a little to one side. "I miss the snow." A small smile spread across her lips. "Did I ever tell you about the cabin my family has in the country, way up north?"

"No," Severus's hand gripped the back of the desk chair. The wind blew back the loose fabric of her light blouse.

"I haven't been there for so long. It's deep in the woods, just a little place. Quiet, calm, not a person or a city for hours." Veronica thought that if she imagined hard enough she could see the tiny wood cabin on the horizon on the top of the hill across the lake, a tiny light shining from the window from a roaring fire. "I think I'd like to go back there soon."

"It sounds perfect. The perfect place to write." Severus said softly.

"It would be. But I couldn't go alone."

Severus stiffened. "No?"

"No. I would get too lonely by myself. Besides, I suppose I would need someone there to keep me from running myself into the ground." She smirked. "You know how I get."

Severus smiled a little bit, "I suppose."

Veronica took into a final breath of cold, fresh air and shut the windows with a small click. "Come on" she turned to him. "I need to get out of this room."

Severus blinked, slowly slipping out of the stupor her soothing daydreaming had indirectly put him in. His hand slipped to the stack of white type paper that was slowly dwindling as the hours passed and he swallowed.

"You're…running out of paper. There's a stationary shop in Hogsmead that sells the type you'll want." He quickly changed the subject.

"Oh?" Veronica blinked. "I've never been to Hogsmead I don't think"

That's right, Severus thought, you didn't go to Hogwarts. You don't know much of anything about this place.

"I could take you there." He spoke suddenly, the words burst forth like a cannon without warning or forethought. "I mean…if you'd like." He added softly. "There's a scheduled trip tomorrow for the students and staff who chaperone. I usually don't but if you…if you need paper that is I could…"

"I'd be happy to, thank you." She smiled with a laughed. "I've heard wonderful things about Hogsmead. It'd be nice to have a guide."

Severus swallowed. "Right, tomorrow then. Around ten."

"Alright. I look forward to it." She looked at the clock with a sigh. Ten o'clock. "It's late, I ought to try and sleep."

Severus wordlessly nodded and made for the door as she followed him close and stopped in the doorway, holding the edge of the wooden panel as if reluctant to shut the door.

"Until tomorrow then?"

Veronica nodded. "Until tomorrow."

The door was shut with a final click of the lock but Severus paused before retreating, thinking on what he just unintentionally did.

He hadn't even thought about it.

It just popped out.

But it happened and now he was here, arguable better off than he was ten minutes ago.

Veronica on the other side of the door was equally shocked.

She hadn't expected such an invitation even in light of their night out in the summer. But she was sure that she would have a splendid time none the less. Maybe she could even coax him into showing her the whole village and not just the stationary shop.

With a grin she stripped herself of her day clothes and made for the bathroom which she partially shared with Irma. As she entered the bathroom and pulled the tie on her bathrobe the opposing door that led into Irma's room flung open to reveal the dark haired woman looking at her wide eyes.

"What are you so smiley about?" Veronica asked her as Irma pursed her lips into a knowing smirked and reached for a spare comb.

"Nothing?"

"Irma…" Veronica wet her tooth brush and leaned on the brass sink. "Were you listening in on Severus and me?"

"How could you even ask me such a question" Irma gasped, scandalized. "I'm hurt, to think you don't think I have any respect for your privacy and personal conversations!"

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry" Veronica rolled her eyes with her tooth brush in her mouth.

Irma combed out her hair and sniffed. "Anyway I suggest your lavender perfume for tomorrow." She stated before slipping out of the bathroom and Veronica rolled her eyes again and spit.


	8. What Happens in Hogsmead

**_Happy Holidays My Loves_**

The snowstorm had passed over the school without as much as a frost, but it did leave a freezing chill in the air that penetrated the skin and shocked your bones. Veronica opened her window a crack to air out the stuffy room only to scramble to close it a second later for fear of pneumonia.

With a handful of gel she scrunched her wet hair until it was shaggy and slightly disheveled to a playful standard and clipped in a circular pearl barrette. Slipping on a pair of black jeans that were admittedly a little tighter than necessary and a black and red, silk, floral shirt, Veronica took quick stock in the mirror.

Perfect

Grabbing her purse off the bed Veronica trotted down the narrow stairway and out into the hall which was empty with all the children waiting out in the courtyard to be dismissed to the Village.

Minerva had been shocked beyond belief when the Potions Master requested to chaperone the trip with herself and Flitwick. Not once in the twelve years he had taught at the school had he offered his services on a Hogsmead trip, and it wasn't until he arrived in the court yard did she understand his sudden change of heart.

"There you are!" Veronica appeared beside the dour man with a sunny smile. "Ready?"

He nodded and tried to ignore the stares of a few students who noted the woman's arrival with hushed mutters. Here we go again, he thought with disdain.

Minerva's mouth formed an O of understanding before directing the children's attention to her and explaining the rules firmly and clearly. As the students shot off down the trail to the village Severus held back a bit, not wanting to get too close to the students for some reason.

"Come on." She tugged on his sleeve slightly.

She noticed he once again put deliberate distance between the two of them but she didn't press it. He was probably still uncomfortable with the rumors like before.

"Severus, have you seen Remus recently?"

He glanced at her. "No, not really" He lied. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm worried about him, he keeps getting sick so often. Didn't you see him at breakfast? He looked terrible." Veronica pointed out. If seemed like as soon as the poor man started getting over a cold, another one would creep up on him.

"He was always in poor health in school. I suppose some people are just like that." Severus brushed it off, trying not to sound uncomfortable. She had a proclivity for hearing subtext in tone, he had noticed. "Don't worry, he always pulls through."

Veronica grunted but nodded. "If you say so, you know him better than I."

The children were out of sight, and Severus felt comfortable enough to edge a little closer to her so they weren't on opposite sides of the path.

"By the way" She added after a silence. "You should be happy to know you're already one of my mother's favorite people."

"Oh really?" Severus smirked a little, actually proud of the statement for some reason. "Why's that?"

"Because your little phone call to my sister brought me here. I guess that gives her some comfort." Veronica rolled her eyes.

"Well, we wouldn't want to lose you now would we?" He teased then sobered slightly. "I certainly wouldn't."

Veronica caught the adage and grinned. "Don't worry, you won't get rid of me so easy."

They reached the village and Severus insisted on taking the long way and sneaking around the village and buildings themselves to get to the stationary shop on the far end of the town.

"Are you sure this is a short cut?" Veronica asked as he led her around the shadowy corner of a shop.

"Of course, I came this way all the time." Severus informed her. In truth he had only visited the village a few times in his youth, it wasn't as if he had any money anyway and the weekly trips offered peace and quiet in the castle with most of the children gone.

He had never had a good reason until now.

The shop was small, and practically abandoned. Most students didn't have quite the interest in parchment and quills as one would think, and most of the items the store boasted were out of their price range anyway. As the heavy door was pushed open a small silver bell twinkled above them, alerting the bored looking store clerk.

The woman's ear's perked up instantly at the sound of the bell and her head whipped around and her eyes scanned them eagerly.

Veronica looked around, very impressed with what she saw. Fine feathered quill with gold nubs, exquisitely crafted fountain pens with intricate designs carved in the handles, and dozens of colors of ink graced the shelves.

In the highest shelves were the typewriters much like the one that sat on Veronica's desk, only new and shiny. They were handcrafted and magically infused to type while the witch or wizard dictates, for those who speak better than they write. They could also store memory, in case a page gets lost in the shuffle and must be replaced quickly.

"Wow" was all she could say she her lips spread into a delighted smile.

Severus took in her delight with relish, never ceasing to be amused by how easily she was pleased. "What sort of paper do you use?"

She blinked, still star struck by the stop before turning to look at him. "What?"

"The paper" He smirked and she thought before her lips formed an O.

"Oh, right." She laughed. "Uh, Southworth in plain ivory if they have it." She moved to a plain wooden shelf and found the brand instantly in reams of 200 for three Galleons. It was a little pricey, but it would have to do.

She paid with a smile and tucked the ream under her arm as Severus escorted her out. "Thank you for taking me" she smiled. "I'd never have found it myself."

"Sure you would have." Severus shrugged. "Given three days and a map."

She playful nudged him and rolled her eyes. "I'm serious."

"So am I."

"You're awful."

Severus grinned then frowned before ducking in between two buildings, dragging Veronica with him.

"What are you…?"

"Sh." He hushed her and listened closely. Nearby there was the voices of teenagers drawing nearer. "Short cut" He nodded and grabbed her wrist before dragging her along with him.

"Oh Honestly." Veronica scoffed and jogged after him. "You're acting ridiculous."

"Says you..."

They stopped and Veronica, now panting after her efforts to keep up with his long legs using her short ones, bent over to catch her breath before standing up straight and eyeing him with tightly crossed arms.

"Yes says me. Why, if you keep ducking around like this I may have half a mind to kiss you in front the whole school just to spoil it." She threatened and Severus's face went positively red.

"What, I-Why would…How… you wouldn't dare." He sputtered, lost for words.

"I would and I could. Quite easily in fact." She smirked triumphantly. "If you keep acting the fool and treating me like a leper."

"I am doing no sure thing." He shot back defensively.

All it took was a disbelieving raise of her brows to let him know she wasn't so easily fooled.

"Fine, a compromise then." He stated. "I shall try not to disregard you so much in public…"

"In exchange for….?"

"You never kissing me in public in front of _anyone ever_ "

Veronica pretended to ponder this before nodded. "Deal"

They nodded and Severus took the lead back to the castle.

"But what about in private?" She asked with a hint of cheek and Severus froze.

"Pardon?" He croaked and Veronica laughed gaily.

"Only _joking_ , goodness one would think you were afraid of me!" She giggled and Severus's face flushed. "Oh come on, it's not like I have cooties or anything." The woman rolled her eyes and over took him in pace.

He stood and watched her go a moment before she turned with her silly grin. "Well come _on,_ slowpoke. Don't want the student to see you out here gaping like a codfish."

He shut his mouth and pasted on a scowl before following her along the back paths back to the village entry point.

The students would be coming back up to the castle soon so the two adults decided to head up early to beat them to it.

"I really would do it you know" Veronica stated suddenly and Severus blinked in confusion.

"Do what?"

"Kiss you." She said and Severus felt his stomach drop to his knees.

"What?"

"If the situation called for it, or we were a couple of teenagers with no impulse control." She shrugged with a laugh. "It's not that hard to imagine is it?"

"I…well no but, exactly what sort of situation are we talking about here? Hypothetically speaking" He inquired, trying not to seem too skittish about the idea. It sounded it a bit like skydiving, sure it could be exhilaration and an experience to remember forever.

But there was always a chance he could crash and burn as well.

"Well, say we went out again." She set up. "Without the imminent threat of a killer looming over us. And you walked me back to my flat again. In the spur of the moment who knows, I did it before."

"Well sure, but that…that's not the same thing." Severus insisted. "That was…I don't know, your polite nature. You didn't really mean it."

She turned on him. "Now who are you to say what I meant and what I didn't mean?" she challenged him and he paled.

"I didn't mean…"

"I know what you meant, but you're wrong." She stated proudly. "Come on, we're almost there."

She started off again and he paused before running after her. "Wait, wait Veronica!"

"Yes?"

"So uh…when would…I mean how…"

"When the situation arises, then you will know. I promise." She grinned cryptically and started off again, leaving him behind her flabbergasted and yet eagerly anxious.

When exactly, He pondered. Would the situation arise?


	9. Regret

After the trip Veronica acted surprisingly casual around her coworker and friend, as if her forward display had never happened in the first place. Severus didn't know what to do, should he confront her on it?

She _did_ say that he would know when the time came.

But who was she to say that he _wanted_ to kiss her? He pondered, momentarily indignant over her bold assumption. What made her so damn special?

Don't you see, you fool? His mind scolded him, she's testing you and has been all year. She's been poking at your intentions and gauging your reactions. She knows everything, and she's toying with you.

That clever little minx.

With a disgruntled frown his grip tightened on the edges of the newspaper. He'd show her to try and read him.

Veronica, sitting next to him and sipping calmly from her glass, tried not to let her gaze wander anywhere near the Potions master. Her mind was a mess, every bit of her subconscious was basically setting itself on fire.

What the living hell had she been _thinking_?!

How could she be so forward? What happened to restraint? To professional dignity?

It had felt so right at the time! She had fun teasing him, watching him sputter and blush at her audaciousness as she behaved uncharacteristically flirtatious. She wasn't even sure he thought of her that way!

God, please let him think of her that way. If he didn't she would never be able to look him in the eye again.

After supper she sped away from the hall, trying not to look panicked as she hid in the rows of books in the Library.

"Veronica?"

The woman jumped and whipped around to find a pair of pale blue eyes staring down at her.

"Remus. Hi, did you need something?"

"Well no." He shook his head. "You just looked rather distressed after dinner I was wondering if something was bothering you."

Veronica swallowed and looked around. "Can I trust you Remus?" she asked in a whisper. Remus blinked and shrugged.

"Of course, is there something wrong?"

She sighed. "Can we talk somewhere private?"

Remus nodded and together they left the library and slipped down the halls and into the Defense class room where Remus locked the door. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" He asked and Veronica sat on one of the desks.

"You could say that" Veronica sighed, a hot blush rising to her cheeks. "If I tell you, do you promise not to tell anyone?"

"On my honor." Remus nodded, suspecting something serious had happened.

So Veronica explained everything. From the time the two teachers spent in Veronica's room, to the sudden invitation, to Severus's shyness and Veronica's own stupid boldness. She confessed her own complicated feelings and after she finished they sat in silence.

The weight in the woman's stomach grew heavier and heavier until Remus cleared his throat and blinked a few times.

"Wow." He breathed. "Well, I uh…this is a rather unusual set of circumstances." He began. "Have you and Severus spoke since this afternoon?"

"How could I possibly face him after that?" Veronica cradled her face in her hands. "I've never acted like that before, at least not that I can remember. I don't know why I did it?"

"Well… do you like him?"

"Of course I do, he's a wonderful friend."

"No I mean." Remus smiled a little "Do your feels extend beyond friendship?"

"I…" Veronica breathed. "No, yes…I don't know! Maybe it's a fluke, we've spent so much time together maybe my mind is fooling itself into thinking something it should be."

Remus shrugged. "Why shouldn't it be?"

"Because… we're friends. We trust each other. But How could I…I mean after…" she swallowed. She knew what she wanted to say.

How could she after Vince?

The man gave his life for her, they loved each with such strength she could never possibly find that again.

Remus sensed she wasn't giving him the whole story, but the power of the growing moon was draining him.

"I don't…" He began but was cut off by a knock at the door. Dragging his heavy body over to the door Remus pulled it open and Severus stood on the other side with a steaming goblet.

"Oh Severus, good Evening."

"Am I interrupting?" Severus raised a brow and Remus shifted slightly to try and block Veronica from him view.

"Certainly not." Remus tried to smile but it was not returned.

"Good, I have something to tell you." Severus stepped forward and Remus stepped back on reflex, letting him in.

Veronica felt a prickle go up her spine as Severus eyed her with surprise and slight disagreement. "Veronica, sorry to cut in but I need to speak with Remus."

She nodded wordlessly and slipped out between them, leaving the men to stand face to face. Severus's features pulled back in an unusually fierce scowl.

"Are you Daft?" He growled as soon as the door was closed.

"What do you mean?" Remus sighed and hauled himself over to his desk and slumped in his seat, the monthly illness was really taking its toll, and he expected an even rougher transformation.

"You know _exactly_ what I mean, what is _she_ doing here?" The long haired man demanded sternly.

"Talking, what else?" Remus eyed him.

"You know how you get this close to the full moon, you're too volatile to be around her alone." Severus insisted boldly and Remus raised a brow, not only at his presumptuousness but also at his surprising protectiveness.

"Oh?" Remus sat up a little. "Perhaps you'd better keep a closer eye on her then."

"And just what does _that_ mean?" Severus growled hatefully. "I'll have you know I've done all I can to protect her."

"Except tell her to truth." Remus pointed out and Severus began to bit back before going silent. "Why haven't you told Severus? I know you're dying to."

"Because…she likes you. For some reason" Severus crossed his arms. "She wants to be your friend and it would be cruel of me to ruin that."

"Would it really matter, do you think?" The werewolf asked as he stood slowly. "Does she strike you as the type to shy away from someone like me, a monster?"

Severus swallowed, his hand moving slightly to his left forearm. He didn't care if Remus saw, he already knew to an extent.

"No" He shook his head. "She seems rather fond of monsters, the foolish girl."

"Then why haven't you told her?" Remus pressed and Severus avoided his gaze. "Because you don't want her to think you're as cruel as you act. If you exposed me she may not care about my condition, but she _will_ care that you would do such a spiteful thing."

If Severus didn't have reason to hate Remus before, he did now.

How _dare_ he read him so accurately?!

Fuming, Severus pushed the potion toward Remus with a growl, not caring if a little spilt over the rim of the cup and onto the desk.

"If _anything_ happens to her. _Anything_. I will be holding _you_ personally responsible for it." He spat and stormed out without another word, a tick away from boiling over.

How dare that simpering bastard patronize him?

Even if what he said was true, he had half a mind to hex that smug tone out of his voice. Maybe he _should_ tell Veronica about Remus's furry little problem, just to spite him.

He stopped in his tracks.

No, he thought. That's exactly what he wanted him to do.

The Bastard.


	10. The Bitterest of Truths

As bad as that day was, it was no match for the one to come.

Locked away in her room like a hermit crab retreated into its secure shell, Veronica sat in her chair with her feet on the edge of the seat and her knees drawn up close to her chest with her arms tightly clasped around them. Tea cups and saucers sat cast to the side in a semi tidy pile waiting for a house elf to come and whisk them away.

One side of the curtains were tied back while the other hung limply, making the room seem sunny and yet shadowed at the same time.

Veronica's hair was tied back with an elastic band and her locks were visibly unwashed.

She didn't quite know how long she had sat there but judging by how many times she had blacked out mid-sentence she could estimate it had been about three days now.

Her bed was still made and had remained that way for at least twenty four hours.

"Veronica?" A voice came from the bathroom door that connected hers and Irma's rooms. "Veronica?"

She didn't move, half asleep as the door opened and Irma looked around at the silent room. "Veronica?"

"Hmm?"

"Some of us, Lupin, Severus, and I, and others. Well, we're a little worried about you dear?"

"Oh" was all Veronica said as she stared blankly at the page in the type writer.

"Yes" Irma circled around to face her. "Are you alright? You haven't left this room for days."

"Three hundred and eighty six."

"What?" Irma blinked at the random number.

"Three hundred and eighty six" Veronica repeated, her blank eyes never leaving the white sheet of paper before her. "I'm almost done. Just one more page."

Irma's mouth hung agape and she stared at the thick stack of pages on the desk. "You wrote all of this?"

"I did." Veronica very slowly sat up and stretched her tightly muscles, whining in pain as the cramps and pinches ignited. "At least, I hope I did. I'm not quite sure at this moment."

"Oh, Dear" Irma breathed.

"I just need the last page…but I don't know how I want to end it." She confessed. The ending is the most important part and she had to make it a good one.

"Well, you've been in here for days. You need to give yourself a rest." Irma insisted and Veronica thought before nodding.

She stood up and leaned on the desk a little, her legs slightly weak from disuse. "What day is it?" She asked through a yawn.

"Wednesday" Irma told her and moved to the closet to pull out a fresh outfit. "Go on, clean yourself up and you'll feel better. And then you're going to lay down and sleep until I say."

Veronica smiled a little and hummed. "You sound like Severus."

Irma paused and watched her go into the bath room before following at length. "Speaking of. Can I ask what happened between you two?"

"What do you mean?" The younger woman asked as she pulled her sweater over her head and pulled her hair out of the elastic.

"Well, usually when you wear yourself out like this _He's_ the one to come check on you…I have to say I was rather surprised when he said he had not" Irma heard the shower head kick on and sighed. "Should I be…concerned?"

Veronica paused a moment, "No." She swallowed. "I don't think so. We're just…giving each other some space is all."

She stepped into the shower and pulled the curtain shut. The hot stream hit her body and instantly she began to scrub her body. But her mind, though dim from exhaustion reeled.

She hadn't even noticed in her driven state that Severus hadn't come to see her. Perhaps he was still put off by her bold display, or perhaps Remus had said something to him.

No, Remus wouldn't do that.

With a light sigh Veronica sat down in the shower and let the jets of water run down her back and hair.

Her body was stuck in monotony, an endless cycle of sitting, pacing, writing, and so on, dragging her deeper and deeper into a dull grey trench.

She lathered shampoo into her scalp and her nails massaged her skin soothingly.

She needed to get out. Out of the castle and into creation, if she delved too deep into her writing she didn't know if she would be able to stop.

Even when she was younger it would happen. If she worked too hard and too long on something and cut herself off from the world around her she would become muted in both person and emotion. It was a dreadful feeling, to feel as if one were dead amongst the living. To feel not quite part of reality.

The warmth of the water made her heavy and anchored down, so with a swallow she turned the knob and gasped as chilled water hit her and made her heart rate pick up and her brain snap back into action slightly.

She finished washing and stepped out and pulled on her robe as she ruffled her hair with the towel.

"Veronica?" Irma sighed as the young girl sat on the edge of the bed. "Veronica, I'm being serious. I'm worried about you, you're not yourself recently."

Veronica swallowed and stared at her small toes that peeked out over the edge of the robe before smiling and looking up. "Don't be, I'll be alright soon. Just let me rest a moment and I will be fine."

Irma frowned a little and pressed a hand to Veronica's forehead. "You've got a small fever."

"Don't be silly." Veronica rolled her eyes. "I haven't been around anyone to get sick."

"Well, it's not uncommon for the overworked to have lower immune systems. Not to mention the risks of fatigue." Irma handed her a warm sweater and soft slacks. "Dinner is in two hours, I suggest you rest until then."

"Yes mother." Veronica joked as the woman left her and she changed into the clothes and laid back on the bed. As she drifted off she heard a knocking at the door and with a sigh went to open it.

"He…Severus?" She blinked and frowned. "Hello. What uh…what are you doing here?"

Severus shifted back a little. "I wanted to check on you."

"Hm, Irma beat you to it." She smiled a little before shifting her gaze to the floor. "I'm alright, just a little tired I guess."

The man cleared his throat and handed her a stack of letters. "Your mail, since you haven't been to meals I've been collecting your letters for you."

"Oh" Veronica blinked, temporarily forgetting not only what Mail was, but also its very existence. "Thank you, I forgot all about it." She took the letters but lingered still. "Would you like to come in?"

"You should rest" He declined.

"I'll rest easier after we've talked." She added with a sheepishly before opening the door wider and he reluctantly entered. "I own you an apology Severus."

Severus blinked, already this conversation wasn't what he expected. "What for?"

"I shouldn't have acted the way I did in Hogsmead. I know you're not one for teasing." She stated like a contrite child. Severus paused before smirking a little, only because he knew that if he laughed she would get upset.

"You're right, we should talk." He agreed. "If we're being honest, I _was_ going to come and see you, but I got caught up with something."

Veronica smiled, so she hadn't scared him away. At least not yet. "I was worried you were avoiding me" she confessed. "But I guess I'm just paranoid"

"Well, I would be a liar if I said that wasn't in my mind" Severus sighed. "But now I feel it would benefit us both if we were simply honest with each other."

Veronica scoffed, "I thought we were supposed to do that already." She sighed and sat on the bed, pulling him over by his sleeve slightly. "Alright, complete honestly. Do you want to go first?"

Severus leaned on the bed pole and swallowed. "Very well." He breathed as his hand crept to her shoulder and her smaller hand instinctively covered it. "I think you're a wonderful person. Kind, brilliant, with a marvelous future waiting for you. You're one of the only people in this world I could ever consider talking this way with."

He didn't look at her, if he did he was sure he would clam up. Instead he looked at the wall and forced himself to go on as Veronica listened to everything.

"When you said those things in Hogsmead I was surprised. It didn't sound like anything you would say, not even in my wildest dreams. At first I thought it was a joke, but then I was afraid that you were serious. When I realized you were, my first thought was to run."

"Why?" Veronica swallowed, she hadn't intended to go this deep. She didn't know where this was going and it frightened her a bit.

"Because I don't ever want you to get hurt." He swallowed. "I didn't want to hurt you"

Veronica's heart dropped and she felt her face heat up from shame and embarrassment. "So…you don't…"

"No, you don't" He corrected her, kneeling down to her level. "You may think that you do, but you don't. Trust me on this."

Veronica nodded and glanced at him. "My turn?"

He nodded, full of anxiety.

"Very well" She turned slightly to face him before leaning in and pressing her lips softly to his. Severus froze a moment, as if time had stopped for a split second. His hands moved to her shoulders and for a moment Veronica thought he might hold her, but instead the man pushed her away and held her at arm's length.

He stared at her with unreadable eyes that were as dark and endless as the black night sky. She longed for a sigh, a blink, and twitch to tell her something but instead he stood up with his hands still on her shoulders. She stood with him and held his hands on her shoulders, matching his stare with a softened plea in her eyes.

"Please." She breathed in a voice that was full of tears.

Severus felt a jolt in his chest but shook his head and stepped away, his hands falling to his sides.

"I'm sorry." He swallowed and left her there, closing the door behind him as Veronica felt her face burn and her stomach twist.

She was a fool.

A thoughtless fool.

Falling back on the bed she sniffed and didn't bother to smother her tears as she lay on her side with her legs dangling off the bed. A hard sob jerked her chest followed by another and more until her legs curled to her chest and her face was buried in her knees.

Neither one of them were seen until dinner when Severus arrived but Veronica was not to be seen.

"Where is she?" Irma finally said halfway through the main course. "She said she would be down here this afternoon."

"Maybe she's just tired." Lupin suggested, not looking all that great himself.

Irma frowned. "She was running a fever, I hope it didn't get any worse. Maybe I ought to take her something."

Severus sat behind his plate but didn't tough a thing, he listened to the conversation but couldn't bring himself to look their way and stared down at the table instead.

"Severus?" Lupin looked at him. "Have you seen Veronica today?"

The potions master swallowed. "I…briefly. She said she was tired."

After dinner they departed and Irma made of the door but found it locked, which was unusual. So instead she made through the bathroom door and peered in to find Veronica under the covered, the duvet pulled up to her ears with her back to the door.

Slipping through the door Irma slowly pressed her hand to her forehead and cheeks once again and found it even warmer than before and moist with sweat.

"tsk tsk tsk, poor dear" She whispered and pulled the covers closer.

Veronica remained still as the hand touched her tear stained cheeks then left, leaving her to her solitude and rest.


	11. The Beach

Veronica was up and gone before anyone else in the morning. Irma came in to check on her around seven but found her bed empty and made with a neat little note on the duvet.

 _Went for a run, will be back soon. Don't worry._

 _Veronica._

"I'm telling you, something is off. Veronica wouldn't just up and leave like that, she plan it and let someone know." Irma said at the breakfast table.

Meanwhile Veronica traversed the rocky shore of the Black Lake in a dark blue track suit with her hair tightly tied back. The cold in the air didn't bother her, in fact she hardly noticed it.

She just desperately needed to get out of the castle. She had her wand with her and her hand was never far from it at all times, but other than that she just needed to clear her head.

The sound of the small waves blown onto the shore relaxed her a little as she kept a steady pace, heart rate picking up a little as her feet hit the gravel at a tempo consistent with her pulse. Tired on the natural silence she hummed a nonsensical tune to drown out her own thoughts.

Along her humming she stumbled on a tune of an old rhyme she and her sister used to sing together. It was about the different children born on each day of the week. But Veronica would always be teased because she was born on a Wednesday, which according to the rhyme, was full of woe.

It was silly children's games and they soon would grow out of them, but now as a grown adults she could acknowledge the aptness of the description.

But enough of that, she shook herself and picked up her pace once more.

After running herself ragged she finally collapsed on the farthest side of the lake in a rocky juncture between water and dense forest.

She sat on the ground, catching her breath and coughing slightly as she looked out over the water. For a moment she was struck by the beauty of it. It was like a pane of glass swirled with dark blues, grey, greens, and black.

The silence was serene, comforting even. If the ground hadn't been covered in sharp rocks she would have even considered just lying there for a while and letting whatever feelings she had rule her body for a little bit and then return to the castle with a clear head.

Back at the castle Severus arrived at the head table looking considerably less than eager to be there until he saw Veronica's seat empty. However, this didn't make him feel any better, it only meant he could avoid the tension for now.

He didn't bother asking where she was, as it would seem Irma was already dishing out to Remus.

"I'm not sure she should be out there, and she was gone before everyone was up. Who knows how long she's been out there."

"Maybe she just needs to clear her head." Remus suggested with a shrug.

Severus paused a moment before something in his mind snapped to instant attention.

Sirius Black.

"Where is she?" He said suddenly.

"I- I don't know, the note just said went for a run." Irma sputtered, surprised but his sudden outburst. "Why, what's wrong?"

She could be anywhere, Severus thought.

As he made for the exit, across the lake Veronica was still lounging on the shore with a contented sigh. The solitude of nature reminded her of the family cabin. Maybe, she thought, I should go back there soon.

Behind her she heard the snap of a twig and she turned to look into the dense, shadowy woods. Something about the stillness of the tree trunks and the silence of the air made goosebumps run up her skin.

It was an unnatural silence, no birds, no breeze, no falling branches hitting the ground.

It was as if she were looking at a photograph of the forest and not the real thing.

Slowly she stood up without letting her eyes leave the forest, her heart beat was slow but heavy and hard behind her ribs.

Was the movement she saw? Or was it just her imagination?

A second snap of a twig told her something was close, but she couldn't see it, which made it even more disconcerting.

Taking a step back towards the edge of the water she swallowed hard and debated whether she should remain still, or run and risk a chase.

Severus reached the shore of the Black lake and found Veronica's shoe prints still pressed into the mud. She must have run around the lake, but she should have made it back by now if she had.

He started following her foot prints about a quarter of the way around the lake before pausing and doubling his pace.

A set on paw prints had curved out of the woods and lined up with her shoe prints. They were large and clearly bore long nails that left their own in print in the mud.

He was not as quick as he used to be, but Severus figured he had to be getting close by now. The closer he got he saw a figure on the shore growing large and standing stone still on the beach.

She was staring into the woods with her back to him. There was a strain in her shoulders and legs that made her look like a skittish deer ready to flee in a moment.

He was tempted to call out her name but all the same feared someone or something around them would hear.

Veronica felt eyes watching her but was too anxious to look around. Holding her breath she waited for anything to happen with a hand on her wand.

Severus drew closer, wand out and at the ready.

Crack.

The sound of the twig rang out like a start bell and Veronica shot off down the beach at a sprint.

Severus, unaware of his own blunder, dashed after her. His eyes flitted to the woods every now and then, trying to make out any shape behind the trees between them.

Veronica's calves burned as did her lungs as they struggled to pull in and push out air. Her vision blurred and she could only make out the path before her. Which was extremely unfortunate, as her foot snagged a depression in the rocky shore and she toppled to the ground and rolled across the rough rocks.

Her arms crossed over her face as she rolled and stopped. The only sound she heard was her own shallow breath and to her horror, approaching footfall on the rocks.

Face down and too scared to try and run again, Veronica's hand slowly crept down to her leg and pull out her wand and waited for the foot fall to get closer.

Severus watched her fall and froze for a split second before doubling the pace and reaching her in a few seconds. She wasn't moving, hardly breathing it seemed. Fearing she was hurt or unconscious Severus pulled out his wand and slowly knelt down to roll her over.

Veronica only had to feel a large hand on her shoulder to roll over and lash out violently. She managed one non-verbal hex that missed by a mile before her wand was knocked out of her hand. Welding her eyes shut she kicked and hit hard while screaming, landing a few good blows until a pair of hands pinned her wrists to her chest and shook her hard.

"Veronica Stop it! Now!" A familiar voice barked and she froze instantly. Slowly the grip eased off her wrists and she forced her eyes open, at first it was too bright to see but her eyes adjusted to the light and she swallowed hard.

"Severus?"

The man's face was stone, hard and unreadable. Wordlessly he gripped Veronica's upper arm and hauled her to her feet.

Veronica began to say something but he stepped away.

"Don't" he hissed. "Not a single word from you, do you understand me?"

She felt a cold rush down to her stomach as he looked her up and down hatefully.

"How dare you?" He growled. "This is either the most idiotic or the cruelest thing you could have done! You stupid, stupid woman, why don't you ever think before you do things?!"

His voice grew louder and angrier as he spoke and he began to shake her in a hard grip.

"You could have been seriously hurt, you could have been murdered! There would have been no one to help you, how can I keep you safe if you keep doing things like this?"

He ran out of things to say without repeating himself, now he could only shake with fury until he calmed down enough to notice she too was shaking.

Not shaking, trembling.

Her head was bent to the ground, her shoulders slumped and her knees were bent almost as if she were mid collapse or cowering away from him.

"Veronica?"

He loosened what he now realized was an excessive grip and swallowed hard.

Was she…crying?

It was soft at first, sniffling, and when the sound became audible she bent over as if to hide her face as hot tears of fear, embarrassment, and relief ran down her face.

He didn't know what to do.

He'd made people cry before but he's never had to deal with the aftermath.

"I…please don't cr-" He was cut off as she threw herself into his body and clasped her arms around him. She didn't say anything, she only cried until her shoulders where shaking and her breath rattled in her lungs.

When it appeared that she was done she pulled away and swallowed without looking up.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly and she nodded almost helplessly and shoved her hands in her pockets.

"Sorry I hit you." She muttered and scanned the ground for her wand, kneeling to pick it up and shoving it in her pocket as well. Severus rubbed his jaw where her fist connected that would probably bruise without treatment and nodded.

"I know, I'm sorry I shout at you."

"It's okay." She whispered. "Why did you come find me?"

"What do you mean?" Severus quirked a brow and watched her shuffled.

"Nothing." She turned slightly "never mind. We should go back."

She said nothing as he escorted her back and they made for the hospital wing immediately, Veronica for minor bruising and scrapes, Severus for bruising on his jaw.

"Severus!" Remus ran into the hospital wing. "Thank God! You need to come quick, both of you."

"What's wrong?" Severus stood and Veronica watched them with wide eyes.

"He's been spotted…in Hogwarts. All the students are being gathered in the Great Hall" Remus explained, not having to state who _he_ was.

Severus stiffened and looked to Veronica who went as pale as a ghost.

Not hesitating, he grabbed her hand and pulled her along after himself and Remus, keeping his eyes on the scarred, tawny haired professor at all times. There was no way in heaven or earth he was leaving Veronica alone with him now.

Severus didn't care if he had to handcuff himself to Veronica, there had been too many close calls.

"Severus!"

"What?" He whipped around and she stared at him contritely.

"I'm sorry, this is all my fault." She whimpered. "It was a mistake for me to come to Hogwarts."

Severus stopped, as did Remus until Severus motioned for him to keep moving. "What are you talking about?"

"You were right, I never should have left the castle. And now he's here, I'm sorry. I never meant to…"

Severus stopped her by covering her mouth with his hand a moment and pulling away when she stopped.

"Veronica I need to tell you something."

"Yes?"

"You give yourself far too much credit." He informed her and pulled her along. "Now keep up."


	12. That Funny Time of Night

The castle was scoured high and low for hours on end with all of the students gathered in the great hall. Veronica was stationed there to, under the guise of "watching" the students when really she was just ordered to stay in one place and not get into any trouble.

Seated at the head table alone, her foot tapped away at the floor at mind numbing speeds until it seemed her entire leg was vibrating.

It was well past nightfall before the teachers reconvened in the great hall and the student settled down in straight rows of black sleeping bags on the floor. But it was clear that few would be sleeping well tonight. The dementors had crept closer to the castle and their ghostly influence could be felt even at this distance, making the hairs on Veronica's neck stand on end.

"Veronica?" She turned in her seat and found Irma hovering over her right shoulder with a severe look on her face.

"Are you angry with me to?" Veronica asked smally and the librarian hummed in a way that sounded more like a growl.

"Only a lot." Irma responded quietly and sat next to her. "I swear sometimes you think more with that thing in your chest than that thing in your head"

"Perhaps" Veronica nodded and gazed out over the sea of slumbering students. "I'm sorry if I worried you but if it makes you feel any better I wasn't in the calmest of states either."

"Well, here" Irma put something on the table in front of her and Veronica squinted in the darkness and felt on the table top. A circular string of bead sat coiled like a snake on the wood with a galleon sized crucifix on one end.

"It was sitting on your bed side table, I thought…I don't know, maybe…"

"Thank you Irma" Veronica nodded suddenly, fingering the blue glass beads and rubbing them between her palms. "That was quite thoughtful of you."

"I just thought they might make you feel better." She shrugged "About whatever it is."

"What do you mean?" Veronica questioned stiffly and Irma bit her lips.

"Something has been bothering you, something you don't want to talk about." Irma deduced. "I don't know what it is, but if you ever feel the need to talk about it I'm right here."

Veronica smiled and placed her hand over Irma's cold bony ones. "You're a good friend Irma" she smiled. "And I think that's just what I need right now…that and a stiff drink."

"Why Veronica." Irma gasped. "You don't drink."

"Not any more I don't" the woman sighed and rubbed her palms together with the rosary between them, the edges of the blue crystals biting slightly into the soft flesh. She held onto the talisman like a security blanket, not a necessity but a great comfort.

"You're a curious woman Veronica, you know that?" She whispered. "There's much more to you than anybody can see, even in your eyes."

Veronica turned to her and sided eyed her. "What does that mean?"

"They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, if you stare into them long enough you can see things in a person they didn't even know themselves." Irma informed her, "but not with you, I've watched your eyes as often as possible to try and see something other than what you say but it's like looking into a doll's eyes."

"Are you saying I don't have a soul?" Veronica laughed jokingly and Irma shook her head.

"I'm saying…I don't know what I'm saying." Irma brushed it aside. "Don't mind me"

"I never do" Veronica scoffed and stood up slowly. "I need to walk around, my legs are going numb."

Irma nodded as the woman squeezed by her and slipped off her shoes to move soundlessly around the hall.

As odd as it all seemed, Sirius Black and Severus Snape were the furthest things from her mind. Instead she focused on what she thought about by the lake.

The cabin.

When this year was over she was going to go there and she didn't give a damn what anyone said about it.

Maybe she's go alone, maybe not.

It didn't matter now, she decided. The place would likely be in quite a state by now, but she could clean it up with a little work.

The metal crucifix hit her thigh as she fiddled with the beads, subconsciously counting them and remembering broken fragments of whispered prayers that went along with them. Taught long ago in an all-girls catechism class.

Our Father, Who art in Heaven

Pater noster, qui es in caelis.

Hail Mary, full of Grace.

Áve María, grátia plena.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost.

Gloria et honor Patri et Filio et Spiritui sancto.

English and Latin engraved in her brain like ancient characters of the stone tablet.

She looked around at the hall that was drenched in light from the nearly full moon, so engrossed in her thoughts she gasped when her shoulder hit something.

"Remus" she put her hand on her chest and tried not to laugh. "It's just you."

Remus struggled to pull a weak smile and Veronica was quick to notice.

"Are you alright? You look dreadful."

He nodded. "Sure, just another sick spell, you know how it goes." He forced a smile but she remained unconvinced of its sincerity.

She pressed a hand to his forehead and to his cheeks with a puzzled frown.

"You haven't any fever" she sniffed and bit her tongue when he winced at any sudden movement, as if his body was fighting of infection. "You poor dear thing, maybe you should take tomorrow off." She suggested.

"No, no, I never call off short notice." He shook his head. "I'll be fine."

"You'll work yourself into an early grave like this." She warned him. "Honestly, I'll tell the headmaster if you like. Just get some rest, maybe see a doctor. It can't be normal to get sick this often."

"I've always been a sickly person." He assured her. "Even as a child, there's nothing to worry about. Honest."

Veronica eyed him sternly and he sighed and patted her shoulder.

"But." He began. "For your own peace of mind, maybe I should take a day or two, alright?"

She nodded, satisfied. "Good. Take care of yourself Remus, I would hate to hear about anything bad happening to you."

Remus smiled, a genuine smile this time and let his hand that rest on her shoulder move to cup her cheek. "You're a fine woman, Veronica. I don't think I've met someone as caring and thoughtful as you in a long time."

Veronica blushed slightly and hummed. "You're very kind Remus. Don't ever lose that." She smiled. "Promise?"

"Promise." Remus nodded and closed his eyes with a pained grunt. "I won't keep you. You look tired, maybe you ought to rest your eyes a little."

"Yeah, maybe" She sighed as if yawning. "It's incredible I've hardly done anything but run today and yet I'm exhausted"

"It's all this tension, we're all feeling it to some extent" He shrugged. "It will pass, hopefully."

Veronica hummed. "Take it easy, alright Remus?"

"You're the boss" He smiled and ruffled her hair a little before passing her by.

Veronica was left with a warm glow in her stomach, glad that for once in the past few days she could still find happiness in others. Part of her wanted to hug Remus, a silent thank you for his unwitting help and also to fill some empty feeling in her stomach that she knew could only be sated by friendly human contact.

That was something she had always considered a human necessity, physical human contact.

Some people needed more than others, some people didn't even know they needed it until they got a taste. But one thing was for sure, everyone needs it at one time or another.

Maybe that's why she was becoming so restless at Hogwarts. She pondered with an inquisitive look on her face. It wasn't that she didn't like the place, or that she didn't like the people.

It was that she was trapped there.

She was living within a vacuum, a world that existed outside of the mortal realm, where every day felt the same and sooner or later you start to get the urge to do something stupid to break the monotony

The night dragged on, slowly. As if the earth decided to take its own sweet time this time around. It was the unsettling time of night when the world didn't seem real. That time that even people at late night clubs and parties would be half asleep or passed out, a time that human beings so rarely saw in its purest form so when you reached that point it didn't feel natural.

But eventually the sun did begin to rise as it inevitably does, and classes were called off for one day, with those staff members who did sleep left to watch the students while the others rested their tired bodies.

Veronica was tired, but not enough to sleep.

So she did what she always did when she wasn't sleeping or walking, she wrote.

And by the end of the day, she had her perfect ending.


	13. The Great State of Denial

Veronica didn't tell anyone she had sent in her manuscript. She had wanted the ending to be a surprise to everyone but herself and so the next day as she sat by Remus Lupin's bedside she didn't bother mentioning it until he brought it up himself.

"I've been meaning to ask you," He grunted, sitting up against a pile of pillows, looking like the icy breath of death was sending trembled down his spine, "How's that book of yours coming along?"

"Oh I er…" She shrugged and positioned herself on a chair. "I already sent it in, to a publisher."

Remus blinked and a small smile crept across his pale face.

"Good for you." He nodded. "I wish you the best of luck."

"Thank you, Remus" Veronica smiled shyly "I really feel awful being here, I should be letting you rest."

"I could use the company" Remus waved his hand dismissively. "And after the scare you gave all of us yesterday, I think you have a civic duty to ensure us you won't go running off again."

A hot flood of embarrassment filled Veronica's face as she looked away from him and to the dusty floor. "I'll never live that down…I thought for sure if Black hadn't gotten me, Severus was going to throttle me himself."

"Nah" Remus scoffed and winced slightly. "Trust me, his bark is more often worse than his bite. I imagine Dumbledore or I would have reacted in quite the same way."

"I am sorry" the woman wrapped her hands around her elbows. "It was a stupid thing to do."

"You're safe, that's all that matters" He assured her gently and reached for his cane that leaned on the end of the bed frame. "By the way…How did Severus get that nasty bruise on his jaw?"

He eyed her with a mischievous twinkle and she blushed.

"I apologized" She grunted with a small huff. "It's not my fault the man can't announce himself."

"Well" The teacher grunted and let out a small, whining breath of air as he stood and leaned on his cane a moment. "I'll be sure to clear my throat the next time I see you in the hall, lest the instinct over take you again. Until then, however, I should like to get a bit of fresh air before I rest."

Veronica wanted to rebuff him and send him right back to bed but nodded and held the door for him as he hobbled out like a beggar with a crooked back.

"Have you asked Severus to cover my class tomorrow?" Remus inquired and Veronica shook her head.

"Not yet, I'm hoping to bring it up as soon as I see him in case he's still in a bad mood."

"He's always in a bad mood"

The woman shrugged and strolled along beside him. Remus never did anything with haste, it seemed. Not walk, or speak, nor move with any sense of urgency about him.

Veronica was convinced that Remus could be informed that there was a raging stampede headed directly his way, and he would very sedately fold up his paper, stand, adjust his cloak, smile, and say "Well, we'd best get out of the way then"

It was comforting actually, to be around someone so well composed and casual.

They only took a small stroll around the hall before Remus was worn out and needed to retire once again. Veronica worried about him terribly, seeing a man not even of middle age look so battered and sickly, like a single breeze could topple him.

"Get some rest" She ordered. "Seriously, you don't look well. You should see a doctor."

Remus only smiled smally and patted her small hand with his larger, rough one. "It will pass, it always does." He bade her farewell and veronica frowned, picking at her sleeve in a minor tizzy.

Why did men always have to pretend to be fine, when they obviously were not?

Instead of dwelling on it, she sniffed and swept towards the dungeons. The halls were practically deserted with students and teachers alike either asleep or on high alert from the night before. The dungeons seemed even more dreary and desolate than usually as the sound of her footsteps echoed off the arched halls.

From behind the heavy wood door leading to the classroom Veronica should hear the fain scuffle of movement and the clinking of glass and metal. He must be busy, she figured, but shrugged and reached out to knock on the door.

After the knock there was a moment of paused and hasty movement before footsteps approached the door and the hinged squealed like mournful ghosts.

"Busy?" Veronica asked the pair of black eyes that peered out at her.

The door opened wider and Veronica arched an eyebrow at the white cloth mask that concealed the lower half of Snape's face.

"Here" He thrust a second mask in her hands "Quickly" He snapped the door shut as she tucked the mask over her nose and mouth.

"What on earth are you making?" She inquired through the muffling fabric.

"A potion for an independent third party" He informed her rigidly as he gently lifted the cover off the cauldron before snapping it back shut as a cloud of silver and purple smoke wafted out like steam from a pot.

Veronica rolled her eyes and sat on the edge of a student's vacant desk with her feet on the chair. "Is that your indirect way of not telling me?"

"It's my less than discrete way of telling you to mind your business." He corrected and watched her large brown eyes roll in summersaults.

"How's your chin?"

"I've had worse."

"I believe you" Veronica nodded and for a moment a flash of a younger Severus in a fist fight flitted across her mind. "If I said sorry again, how many times would that make?" She asked and Severus paused with his eyes closed and a deep furrow between his brows.

"Ten, and no closer to forgiveness"

Veronica nodded and popped her knuckles "So uh, Remus wants to know I you would cover his classes tomorrow?"

Severus paused a moment and turned slightly out of curiosity. "What for?"

"He's not feeling very well, so I've placed him on bedrest." Veronica said defensively.

Severus turned fully and from the wrinkles by his eye Veronica could tell he was smirking. " _You_ did?" He questioned with a hint of humor in his tone.

Veronica smirked right back and crossed her arms. "If I didn't keep an eye on you boys, you'd _both_ run yourselves into the ground."

"This coming from the woman who has gone days sitting in one spot without sleep?" The potions master didn't even bother to hide his snide tone. "Or have we forgotten how many times I've had to force you to bed at 1 am?"

"Well," Veronica sighed. "I suppose it _is_ a bit like the pot calling the kettle black" She strode up beside him. "But just because I've done it doesn't mean it's good for either of you."

"Do as you say, not as you do?" he scoffed.

"Precisely"

"Well, you can tell Lupin I'll cover for him. But don't expect it to become a regular occurrence." Severus sliced delicately away at a narrow green root and Veronica couldn't contain a scoff of derision.

"What?" Severus eyed her hardly and she shook her head.

"You don't fool me one little bit Severus Snape." She smartly informed him in a _I know something you don't know_ tone.

"What are you talking about woman?"

"You know that _I_ know that _you've_ been grinding for the defense position for a while now. Why wouldn't you be eager to at the very least teach a class?"

Severus shook his head. "To have a taste of something I want but can't have? Only for it to be pulled away? Madame, you confuse me for a masochist."

"I know you to be an opportunist." She shook a finger at him. "Use tomorrow to show Dumbledore that you can do the job and it will give you a greater edge next year."

"Hm" He sniffed and pulled off his mask after the lid was tightly clamped on to the lip of the cauldron. "It's almost sweet that you think it's that easy."

Veronica yanked off her mask as well and shrugged. "Just a thought."

There was a moment of silence between them that left them both shifting uncomfortably until Veronica, studying her folded hands, swallowed hard.

"So are we just going to forget what happened?"

"That was my plan" Severus answered without breaking his movement, determined to ward off the discomfort of the subject.

There was more silence before Veronica stood up and sighed. "Well, we don't have to bring it up again but…I'm not sorry"

The pregnant silence made the woman swallow again and nod. "You should get some rest, you've been up all night" She spoke softly before sweeping for the door, slipping out into the hall as the lock clicked behind her loudly.

Well, she thought with her heart shaped lips twisted to the side. That was a disaster.


	14. A Blast from the Past

Winter was fast approaching, and with it the holidays were growing so close Veronica could practically hear sleigh bells around the corner.

Hogsmead visits were now more guarded than Azkaban itself but Veronica managed to sneak off to buy Christmas gifts while avoiding anyone who would urge her to stay in the castle for safety. She didn't care if she and Severus were on ground more unstable than a crumbling cliff, he was still getting a gift. She was unsure if she should get Remus something however, but figured it couldn't hurt.

Carolers lined streets, soundtracking the cheerful, snow-blanketed town perfectly as the witch tightened her scarf around her neck and hummed absent mindedly.

This was the most carefree she had felt in weeks, she realized with a smile. She wasn't thinking about Black, or Snape, or her book, or anything else that might burden her mind. To her right was a bookstore and she ducked into it curiously. Pulling off her gloves and hat, Veronica shook out her loose hair and looked around, scanning the shelves with keen eyes.

"Feel free to have a look around" A crackling voice called from the corner of the room. "I doubt we'll be disturbed."

The witch peered with narrow eyes into the shadowy corner as a large, wheeled ladder rolled across the shelves. On in perched a tiny witch so small and wrinkled for a moment Veronica thought her a house elf in robes. She had reddish wrinkled skin and a drooping face that stared at her with two bright green eyes.

"Hello, I'm sorry are you open." Veronica approached her and the witch blinked at her like a calm owl.

"If it wasn't, the door would be locked." She muttered in a high voice that vaguely reminded Veronica of the start of a kettle whistle. Not shrill yet, but above the range a human voice should go.

"Right" Veronica nodded and stepped back.

This woman had the air of someone whom you wanted the respect of.

The witch looked at Veronica slowly, before adjusting the pair of paper thin, wire rimmed glassed that were precariously perched on her tiny button nose.

"You don't have the look of a student. They rarely come into my store."

"Uh no" Veronica clasped her hands behind her back. "I'm not, I just….I'm just a visitor is all."

The witch sniffed but nodded with light satisfaction. "Well, look around them but _be careful._ Some of these books are very old…and fragile."

"Yes ma'am" Veronica nodded and stuffed her hands in her pockets like a forewarned child. She strolled along the wall of books as the woman rolled her ladder to the end and against the window, she peered out with a sense of dissatisfaction and clicked her tongue like a hen. She muttered under her breath complaints that Veronica couldn't make up before slipping down the ladder.

She was even Shorter than Veronica figured, barely coming up to her shoulder.

Some of the books on the shelves veronica had never heard of or seen before. Some in foreign languages, some in dead languages, some with titles worn off leaving their contents a mystery.

"Aren't you that slip of a girl I saw tailing that Snape boy a while ago?" The witch asked as she stool of a stool behind her counter. Veronica covered a small smile, trying to imagine anyone referring to Snape as a "boy", but nodded.

"Yes I am"

"Huh." The witch shrugged. "I remember him, one of the only students to ever set foot in here. He hasn't changed much."

"No?" Veronica turned slightly, intrigued by hint at her mysterious friend's shrouded past. "I'm afraid I didn't know him then, I never attended school at Hogwarts."

"Little ghost of a boy, pale as death and somber as a funeral." The witch carried on. "Always seemed to be looking over his shoulder, I let him hide in here when he needed to."

"Hide?" Veronica quirked an eyebrow.

"Yes, from those other boys. Students as well." The witch dipped her quill in the ink pot and Veronica drew closer to her, but tried not to seem like she was prying. "He'd come in with black eyes, bloody noses, I started keeping ice and bandages behind the counter for him."

"How awful" Veronica's mouth hung open. "Didn't he ever say anything?"

"Only that it was nothing to worry about" the spindly witch shook her head. "He was an odd boy, quiet, kept to himself and his books."

Veronica nodded and looked around. She wanted to know more, everything that the woman knew that Severus would not tell her. But she couldn't, she didn't want to be a snoop.

"Thank you…for uh…"

"And he was always reading that book over there." The witch cut in.

Veronica looked behind her. "Over…?"

"Third shelf, black canvas, rather good condition, close to the end."

Veronica picked out the black book that was of good thickness and well cared for. The pages flipped open to reveal charts and diagrams and rituals that the woman had never seen but had studied in her youth. Dark Magic, Black Magic; the kind they would never teach in a school.

"Is this for sale?" Veronica asked the witch looked up curiously.

"Five Galleons."

Veronica left the shop with the book hidden securely under her coat.

She wanted to give him the book, but she wanted to read it first. Her morbid curiosity compelled her to find a secluded spot and dive into what mysteries this book offered to her.

She made it to the edge of town, were the woods began to grow dense and the Shrieking Shack could be seen looming in the distance like a phantom. She found a bench that has been abandoned due to the inconvenience of it placement and wiped off the snow before sitting down and flipping open the book.

The magic in the book was dark.

Dark and obscure and some of it most likely forbidden.

Knowledge of forms of Voodoo rarely practiced now.

Hexes, curses, and enchantments that most adult wizards didn't even know about because they would never dare to teach it in a school.

Potions of profane purposes that Veronica found herself wonder if Severus had ever tried to recreate either out of curiosity or something darker.

It was growing late, she would have to get back to the castle soon. Veronica slipped the book back into her coat and made back that way, arriving to the gates as the sun was beginning to lower itself across the western sky.

She skipped dinner to keep reading. The book seemed to grow darker as the pages dwindled on one side. The night grew dark but Veronica had not moved from her bed, her legs shifting positions from pressed to her chest, to tuck under to, to spread across the covers.

A knock at the bathroom door shook her and made her stuff the book under her pillow hastily before opening the door to see Irma peering in.

"Are you alright, you weren't at supper." The librarian inquired and Veronica flashed her a smile.

"Oh, just a stomach ache that's all. I didn't think it a good idea to risk it." She waved her hand and tried to keep her eyes from shifting towards her pillow. She didn't know why she felt so guilty all of a sudden, it was just a book after all.

"Lupin was asking after you." Irma informed her with a sly grin. "I think he wanted to ask you something."

"Really? What?"

"I don't know, but Severus looked rather agitated when he asked after you." Irma hinted.

"Oh well, he'll get over it." Veronica scoffed and suppress a smile. "Any news?"

"Nothing, no more word on Black. Oh Veronica!" Irma stopped the door from closing. "I'm dying to know! What happened at the Lake?"

"The Lake?"

"When you left that note! What happened?"

"What? Is there gossip?"

"Only a bucketful! You either saw Black with your own eyes, or you and Severus a still having your torrid affair." Irma flapped her hands like a spastic pigeon and Veronica rolled her eyes.

"For your information Irma Pince, I went for a run, Severus scared me out of my wits, and I ended up socking him in the jaw. No Black, no torrid love affair." She eyed her. "Now I'm really very tired so…"

"Alright, alright, alright." The woman nodded, "you get your rest, but I wish you'd keep me updated with these things!"

"Goodnight Irma" Veronica closed the door and yawned.

She really couldn't care less what people were saying about her in the school. It wasn't hurting her health or bank account so what does it matter?

Too tired to change, Veronica stripped off her shirt and trousers and slipped under the covers with one hand under the pillow. She felt the hard canvas of the book and pulled it out to look it over a moment. She wanted to read more, but was too tired to dive in again. So instead she slipped it into the drawer of the bedside table and turned off the lamp, encasing herself in darkness.


	15. The Little Green Monster

Christmas rolled around with relative peace until Veronica received a letter from her mother informing her that since their church was being fumigated, they would not meet for the traditional Christmas Mass. This was fine by Veronica, as she was eager to give her gifts to her friends. The snow fell in a thick blanket across the landscape on Christmas morning, and Veronica ogled out her window like an enthusiastic child.

The castle was warm and gaily decorated as it was last year, and a good majority of the students had left the school to be with family for the holidays, leaving it peaceful for once. Veronica took her time getting ready, pulling out a festive red dress with long sleeves and a tea length skirt and pulling it over her body only to struggle with the zipper up the back.

"Veronica?" A knock came at the door and then opened without waiting for an answer, "are you up?"

"Yes, yes I'm up. Can you give me a hand with this?" Veronica turned to the cheerlessly dressed woman who rolled her eyes and came up behind her and pulled up the zipper.

"Honestly, what's the point in being a witch if you can't even zip a dress?" She sighed and looked the woman up and down. "Why so fancy anyway? Looking to impress someone?"

Veronica rolled her eyes and stood in front of the mirror to smooth herself out. "Irma, has it ever occurred to you that maybe I just like feeling a little extra nice sometimes?" She slipped on a pair of red heels lower than her usual height and twirled a bit before nodding.

"I'll never understand how you wear those things every single day." Irma shook her head and eye the rows of high heels that sat beside the small closet.

"I'm exactly 5 feet tall, Irma. If I didn't wear them I'd look like a first year." Veronica scoffed and made for the closet, pulling out three wrapped packages. "Here, Merry Christmas." She handed one to Irma who grinned widely.

"I knew you would, and I didn't let you upstage me this year either" Irma pulled out a smaller package from her robes, having not gotten Veronica a gift the previous year.

For Irma, Veronica had gotten a new hat, in black to match her normal drab clothing, but with a small spiraling feather on the side. For Veronica, Irma had gotten a new set of ink ribbons for her type writer.

"Shall we go find the boys?" Veronica smiled and Irma smirked.

"You mean the two grown men we work with? Alright"

The two walked side by side down the stairs and out into the halls, Veronica with the two remaining packages tucked under her arm.

"I'm going to breakfast, catch up?"

"Yeah, in a bit." The younger woman waved the two parcels and Irma nodded before floating off down the hall.

Veronica made for the Defense Classroom first and knocked before pushing open the ajar door. "Remus?" She called and saw the man hunched over the desk with tan hair hanging slightly into his face.

"Veronica! Merry Christmas!" He smiled and looked her up and down. "You look very nice this morning."

"Merry Christmas, I got you something." Veronica smiled and pushed the box on the table and Remus smiled but his eyes gave her a disapproving look.

"Now you really shouldn't have…"

"Oh hush, you're sounding just like Severus did last year." She shook her finger at the man. Remus smiled smally but opened the parcel, carefully untaping the wrapping instead of tearing it away. Under the wrapping was a thick book with golden lettering pressed into the hard red cover.

"It's a book of short stories, so you won't get bored on those days you get sick." Veronica informed him and Remus smiled with all his teeth this time.

"That's very kind of you Veronica, honestly, thank you."

Remus couldn't remember the last time he had received a gift, not since he was a much younger man.

Veronica gauged his face but then frowned and reached up to touch a fresh looking cut that had begun to scab over.

"This looks new, what happened?"

Remus stiffened and caught her hand before she could touch him and Veronica froze a moment until Remus regained his usual tranquility and carefully put her hand down.

"Hit my head on a shelf" He laughed it off casually. "Silly me, clumsy as ever."

"Oh" Veronica swallowed but laughed as well, "well, you had better get to breakfast. And I want to catch Severus before he comes up from the dungeon."

"Right." Remus nodded and patted the book cover. "Thank you again."

"Don't mention it." Veronica nodded while stepping back at first before whipping around and leaving in an inexpiable rush. There had been a moment when Remus grabbed her hand that had frightened her for some reason. Comparable only to the fear she felt when she first saw Severus anger and felt the suspense hanging in the air, waiting for him to move.

But that was nonsense, Severus and Remus were nothing alike. It was natural to be weary of someone like the Potions master, he projected a seemingly natural aura of mystery and strangeness. Remus was shy and almost timid, but also very wise and kind as well. Nothing about him could be called threatening in anyway. So why did she feel such a flash of fear in that split second when his large hand grasped her wrist.

She shook it off. It was Christmas and it wouldn't do any good to start off on the wrong foot.

Veronica made for the dungeons and found the door open for her. He knew she was coming.

"Severus?" She called, hiding the gift behind her back. "Are you up?"

"Veronica, If I'm ever asleep at this hour, it is safe to assume I am dead." A baritone voice echoed out of the potions cupboard where the man was perched on the middle rungs of a wooden ladder.

"Someone's sharp this morning." Veronica noted and leaned on the door frame, casting her eye up at him with a small smile. "Are we in a good mood?"

"I'm not in a bad mood." He shrugged, figuring a good mood for him would only be obtained via hazardous or illegal methods at this point.

"Well I can work with that." Veronica rolled her eyes. When Severus was this quick, this early, it usually met he had been up for a while. Which begged the question on whether or not he had slept at all.

"Come down here, I have your gift." She ordered in a playful tone and he didn't bother looking down.

"In a moment."

She waited a minute for him to come down before rolling her eyes again. "Severus, the potion ingredients are _not_ going to grow legs and run off. Come down."

"Oh fine" He huffed and climbed down the rungs reluctantly.

"Here" She handed him the gift. "I think this is a bit more interesting than mandrake roots and dried gillyweed."

"Dare to dream" He muttered but opened the package while keeping an eye on her. Severus had a sneaking feeling that she enjoyed watching him receive a gift more than he enjoyed actually receiving it.

He eyed the book quizzically, the black cover and worn appearance not striking any particular chord in him. Flipping open the cover and eyeing the passage a light clicked in his brain and he glanced at Veronica, whose eyes were glue on him.

"Where did…?"

"The bookshop in Hogsmead." Veronica felt her face heat up, unsure if she should be eager or embarrassed. "I just stumbled on it…I thought…I don't know, since you…" She pulled in her lips nervously.

She didn't know why she was trying to rationalize buying the book, but something about his reaction, or lack thereof, didn't sit well with her.

The man skimmed through the book and blinked, flashes of years past flew through his brain chaotically until he swallowed and closed it.

"Thank you, really" He nodded. "We should go up, for breakfast."

Veronica's stomach twisted at his noncommittal reaction but she nodded. "Right."

She didn't know what she was expecting, but she had hoped something about his reaction would give Veronica some inkling into Severus's unspoken of past. He never said anything, and what she did know, she had found out from a court transcript.

She wanted him to trust her enough to tell her even a tiny detail, or a vague description of anything about him. She didn't want to have to dig for it.

He had to know she wouldn't ever judge him, didn't he?

Instead she decided to think on something else.

"Severus, have you seen Remus this morning?"

"No, why?"

"It's probably nothing." She began. "But I felt something was off about him this morning."

Severus didn't break his stride. "Off how?"

"I can't say exactly, but he seemed tense. Nervous even, for a moment. I noticed he had a fresh cut on his head and when I asked him about it, he seemed edgy about it. Maybe it was just me…"

Severus frowned, recalling that last night had been the finally night of the full moon. "I'm sure it was nothing."

"I feel like there's something more serious going on with him." Veronica stated boldly. Severus paused a moment and the hairs stood up on his arms.

If she found out and realized he had kept it from her, she may be angry.

If he told her, and she thought he was ratting on Remus to spite him, she would _definitely_ be angry.

Either way, things weren't looking all that great for him.

"You know him better than I do, Severus. Haven't you noticed anything strange?"

Severus frowned and roll his eyes with a certain burning contempt, "I'm not sure if you've noticed Veronica, but Lupin and I aren't exactly close."

The statement may have come out a bit harsher than he had intended, but why did she have to talk about Lupin so much? Severus already wished Lockhart had stuck around over the mild mannered werewolf.

At least when Veronica talked about _Lockhart it_ was with exasperated frustration, and not the almost affectionate concern she used with Lupin.

What irked Severus even more was how _much_ it bothered him.

Sure, he had admitted to himself last year that he was, in fact, _fond_ of the woman. But that didn't mean that he cared if she spoke about someone else with a similar fondness.

But, Severus thought, didn't she just confess she, rather foolishly, felt more than friendship for him? What sort of sense did it make to say something like that and then inquire after a man she _knew_ Severus didn't exactly care for?

Sure, Veronica was always a naturally concerned person, but did she have to be concerned over _Him_?

These thoughts brewed in Snape's mind and Veronica eyed him after his punitive comment and tone but didn't say anything, only cross her arms as she always did when she was chagrined.

"Alright, let's just go to breakfast."


	16. The Invitation

It was only when they reached the merrily decorated grand hall did Severus realize he had completely forgotten to give Veronica her gift.

It wasn't much, nothing compared to what she had given him last year, but he didn't want to be caught in the awkward position of not having a gift again.

Veronica, the shine of her Christmas morning tarnished by two less than cheery interactions, found herself less than appitized by the festive meal presented to them. The post came with a rush of brightly colored envelopes and even Veronica had an ivory parcel dropped in her lap by a white owl unfamiliar to her.

She picked up a thick envelope and felt the pressed in border with her thumb. Along the front was her name in gold ink and large, swooping letters. Curious, Veronica swiped the golden wax seal with her knife and pulled out a folded peice of expensive looking stationary paper.

Her eyes scanned the paper before her pursed lips let out a sharp expletive.

"Oh Hell!" she exclaimed, louder than she intended and a few at the table glanced over at her in a bewilderment as the witch stuffed the letter back in the envelope.

"what's the matter" Severus arched a brow sharply as Veronica pushed the parcel away from her as though it smelt horrid.

"Nothing, it doesn't matter." she hurriedly brushed it off.

"Veronica, I can count the number of times you've said anything stronger than 'Oh Dear' on one hand. Something is definitely wrong"

"it doesn't matter. I'm not going"

"to...? "

Veronica sighed and crossed her arms.

"it's an invitation to my cousin's wedding. But that doesn't matter I'm not going. I don't care what they say"

Her tone was solid and resolved, and made it very clear she didn't want to talk about it any more.

"Very well then... " Severus shrugged and unfolded his paper. He wasn't terribly curious about her outburst, but she'd eventually tell him when she simmered down.

Meanwhile Veronica's mood was utterly shattered by the innocent looking envelope. She couldn't even look at it without feeling an uneasy knot in the pit of her gut, so she shoved the parcel in her pocket without care of crumpling it.

She knew what she would have to do in order to feel comfortable again so she stood from the table and tapped Severus's hand.

"I'll be back later. I need to deal with something"

"What?"

"It's personal" she grumbled and slipped behind him before he stood and followed her.

"Where are you going? "

"There's a two way mirror at Hogs Head, I need to talk to my sister"

Severus eyed her incredulously. "You don't think you're going _alone_ , do you?"

The witch paused. No, she couldn't very well go alone. She turned to him with a pleading look in her eye.

"Would it be too much trouble for you to come with me? Please?! "

The wizard rolled his eyes but nodded.

"Only because I know you'll try to go alone if I don't"

They would have to move fast, but Severus led her out to the edge of the grounds to a clean yet aged stables that were peaked with tips of white snow. The air around them was completely still, frozen by the biting wind.

Veronica tugged her coat around her body tightly and peered into the stalls with a confused blink.

"What are they? "

Severus looked to her and then to the ghastly thin thestrals that stamped impatiently in the snow.

" Thestrals" he muttered. "they pull the carriages, better than walking I think."

Veronica nodded, but eyed the creature with a side glance as Severus began to harness one into an opentop carriage. The animal had large, sad eyes that were dark enough to reflect the snow. It's leathery wings pressed to its back, covering its bulging ribs.

"They look so ill"

"uUnfortunately that is their natural state. " Severus sighed, rubbing his palm down the long snout. The animal pressed back into his hand and let out a guttural snort.

Gripping the reigns, Severus pulled the woman up on the seat next to him before flicking the straps and sending the beast down the path of spotless snow.

He didn't ask why this trip was so urgent, nor why an invitation would bother her so much. But Severus had never seen Veronica act this way before, almost paranoid.

They arrived at the closed pub to find it completely abandoned.

"The mirror should be in the back" He muttered "thankfully the owner and I are well acquainted, so I know there should be a key right..." the man kicked around the Snow until he uncovered a large stone with the toe of his shoe.

"Here"

He pried the rock up from the frozen ground to find a brass key pressed into the ground.

"Aren't you handy?" Veronica smiled as he pushed open the door and urged her in quickly.

"I'll only be a few moments, I promise." she assured him and fled to the back room where a large mirror hung in the back.

The two way mirror was very simple, she just had to connect to her sister's home and hopefully she could answer.

The rim around the mirror began to glow as the glass fogged up and a disembodied face of a beautiful woman with black hair and dark eyes blinked out at her.

"Heather, can you hear me? "

Veronica's older sister and only other magic sibling smiled but still looked confused.

" Veronica? Uh, merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, look Heather have you gotten the mail yet?" the younger sister asked nervously, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"Oh hell, yeah" Heather's face twisted with slight distaste.

"Well, are you going?"

"You know I am, aren't you?"

Unknown to them both, Severus had stationed himself outside the door, and could clearly hear the conversation. It was sneaky and rotten, he knew it. But his curiosity had gotten the better of him.

"No! You know I won't!"

"Veronica, Lora Lee is one of your best friends!"

"I can't do it Heather, you _know_ why I can't!" Veronica looked over her shoulder. "Lora Lee knows to, I can't believe she would invite me"

"Honey, the entire family will be there. There's nothing he can do." Heather spoke in a slow, reassuring tone but Veronica would have none of it.

"I don't care. Why did she have to marry _him_ anyway? She can't really love him"

"Veronica! "

"Well it's true!"

Heather crossed her arms firmly. "No matter what you think, don't you dare say that to anyone. And no matter why she did it, I know it would mean a lot to her if you came. Even if you don't approve, they are family"

"That's what bothers me" Veronica hissed.

"Let's not talk about this now." Heather cut her off. "Go or don't go, it's nothing to me. I have to go."

"Alright." Veronica nodded "I love you, merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas"

Heather's face was absorbed by the fog and Veronica swallowed. Their talk had done nothing to release to her worries, if anything it made her feel worse.

She slipped out with a sigh and Severus returned to the door as if he had been waiting the whole time. He to, had experienced no relief from his curiosity, apparently any information he would need had to do with the family.

"Feel better?" he asked, feigning innocence perfectly as she shook her head.

"Not even a little bit" she sighed and leaned on the door. "Thank you for coming with me but... Let's just go"

"Agreed" he locked the door and replaced the key before climbing next to the visibly down trodden Veronica.

They traveled in silence, Severus tossing her side glances but she never noticed. Her face was slack and her eyes were filled with distress. Enough for the man to shake his head and pulled the carriage over.

"What are we doing?" she looked around curiously as Severus twisted to face her.

"What's wrong?"

"It doesn't matter" Veronica's face began to heat up.

"It does to me, now talk." Severus growled.

Veronica frowned, but the fact that her worries mattered to him struck her profoundly.

"I... You know how you have those secrets that you can't tell anyone because you worry that they'll see you differently if they found out? "

Severus shook his head. "You know I wouldn't judge you"

Veronica sat in the cold before nodding. "Let's go back to the castle, find some place private where no one can hear. Then I'll tell you."

"Deal" Severus nodded and urged the beast forward in the snow.

 **I know it is short but I'll update sooner so stay tuned.**


	17. The Family That Stays Together

**So I may be updating a little slower for a while because I'm starting a new job next week.**

They arrived back at the castle and it would appear their absence had not been noted, so Severus led her down to the dungeons quickly.

"Are you sure someone won't come down here?" Veronica asked and Severus shook his head.

"No, that's why this isn't where we're talking." He moved to the potions clothes and removed his wand from the folds of his robe and tracing a small circle on the back wall. "You didn't think you were the only person with a secret room, did you?"

From the glowing circle a knob sprouted from the rough wall and Severus twisted it and pushed, revealing a narrow door in the wall that otherwise would have been near impossible to detect.

"Whoa" Veronica peered in, the anxious part of her brain leery to enter into what she had considered a sacred sanctum. The room was a dark as she had imagined, smoky grey walls, black furniture with wooden handles, and a small fireplace that looked more like a black abyss than a hearth.

"Come in, come in, quickly." He hurried her and Veronica slipped it before pushing the heavy door shut. Severus settled in a cushioned chair of dark wood and a plush looking material by the hearth. He pointed to a similar chair across from him before lighting the fire.

"Now talk." He struggled to keep the gnawing curiosity out of his voice. He always loved learning things about people, even if he didn't care about them. If knowledge is power, personal knowledge must be even more so, because it had actual weight.

"Why are you so eager to hear?" Veronica crossed her legs and arms.

"Part concern, part morbid curiosity." He spoke frankly, she was going to tell him anyway. She needed to, otherwise it would weight on her until she broke.

"Alright fine, I haven't told you much about my family have I?" She asked and Severus shook his head.

"No, only your sister."

"Well, my Father came by the family money honestly. That is to say, through the family. He grew up in the southern part of America with the rest of my family…we don't talk to them anymore, or we try not to."

Severus frowned. "Why not?"

Veronica's hands were clenched together tightly, ringing and twisting each other. "Severus…how much do you know about Pureblood customs?"

Snape thought, he knew a great deal about it in fact. Through observation. In his youth he treated it like watching animals, learning slowly.

"A bit"

"Well…a lot of the old pureblood customs are still very much alive in America still." She leaned back, a hot pit in her stomach, she didn't know how to tell his what she considered to be a dishonorable part of her life.

"Did….did you ever wonder why I look like I do?" She asked suddenly.

Severus blinked, feeling he was being set up. "What do you mean?"

"You know, why I'm so small, and pale…why I get sick so often?"

"I never thought about it, honestly." He blinked, trailing his gaze up and down her body. She was very thin yes, thinner than most people. Any perhaps she was a tad pale, paler than him anyway, but some people are. Once in a while, if he thought too hard he would wonder if maybe she was born premature, or had some sort of medical disorder. But he never thought too long on it.

"Well, I've always been that way, I was born this way because my father's half of the family…." She swallowed. God, this was humiliating.

Meanwhile Severus was trying to put the pieces together, running over every custom and tradition common among the upper class purebloods that wouldn't have been outlawed by now. Veronica prayed that he was clever enough to work it out for himself so she wouldn't have to say it.

When it became apparent he wasn't going to get it she sighed.

"Severus, half of my family is inbred."

There was a thick silence and Veronica's face began to heat up. "That's why I don't want to go…part of it anyway. A bigger part is the groom…Calvin. He's my second cousin but he's just…he's off. I used to live with him and his family when I was going to school in America." She didn't look at the man across from her, sure he now found her repulsive. "My father was supposed to marry his mother, but he refused and married my mother instead…now Calvin and Lora Lee…I just can't go." She scoffed. "This is so humiliating."

Severus blinked. That wasn't what he had been expecting at all. She didn't look inbred, at least not extremely so like some purebloods he had met. But sometimes the signs weren't always obvious.

With new knowledge, Severus looked at her slowly. In Europe, the effects of inbreeding had already begun to fade out, in some older generations you could still see it but even in Severus's generation one hardly saw any physical evidence of it anymore.

But then again, America had always been particularly steeped in in tradition.

"Well," Severus thought. "No one can make you go, however, considering that I will be traveling to that part of the country this summer…should you change your mind, I'd extend offer of moral support."

Veronica blinked. "You mean, you'd go with me?"

"For moral support" He added insistently before the breath was partially knocked out of him. Veronica had thrown herself onto his chest and hook her arms around his neck.

"Alright, alright…" He gently tried to push her off but she took no mind.

"I don't know what I ever did to get to meet someone like you Severus, but I'm glad I did" She muttered, keeping her arms around him.

Severus flushed but muttered incoherently. "Get off." He grunted and pushed more firmly. Veronica stood up and Severus readjusted his collar. "Honestly"

"Oh don't be so grumpy, it's Christmas" Veronica muttered.

"No excuse" Severus shook himself.

"Honestly." Veronica rolled her eyes. "If you can't be even a little cheerful on the most cheerful holiday in the world, when can you be?"

"Hm" Severus leaned on the wall. "Sleeping…during complete silence…funerals."

The witch scoffed and stood up, adjusting her skirt. "Well if that's how you're going to be, I'm going to find someone cheerier to be around."

"Before you go, there's something for you in the top drawer of my desk. I wonder if you could fetch it before you go." Severus waved her off and Veronica frowned but sighed and nodded at his back.

"Alright. Merry Christmas."

"Uh huh"

Leaving him kneeling at his book shelf, Veronica slipped back through the secret door and leaned on the wall a moment with an air of discontent before pushing off silently and making for the desk.

"Top drawer" She sighed, pulling the metal handle, which put up quite a fight, and finding little except for a small box on top of a thick stack of papers.

There was a short slip of parchment on the box and she flipped it between her fingers to find her name scrawled across it. She sat in the chair and placed the box on the top of the desk, eyeing it with curiosity.

Surely he didn't… she thought with an involuntary rush through her chest. Her fingers carefully pried open the box and rifled through a layer of crumpled parchment. Eager anxiety flooded her mind and heart as her fingers brushed something hard and cold connected to a string.

She pulled out the object and a broad smile spread across her round face, one hand covering her mouth as the grin reached her shining eyes. A perfectly circular pendent hung from a leather chord, and as the medallion dangled she could see etched into the other side was a beautifully crafted full moon embellished with what appeared to be smooth Mother of Pearl.

The sight made her heart bounce, and even if it didn't change anything, she couldn't have been happier.

She stood and turned to rushing and thank him, but realized she didn't know how to get in the secret door. Instead, she quickly decided to take a clean piece of parchment and write in dramatically swooping letter.

 _It's More Beautiful Than I Can Say. I Wish There Was A Way I Could Thank You. –VL._

She looked over the note and felt it was missing something, there had to be a way to better express how she felt about it.

Suddenly a mischievous thought entered her mind and Veronica looked over her shoulder at the potions closet before slipping her thin lipstick tube from her small pocket and reapplying it in the reflection of a jar before kissing the bottom corner of the paper under her initials.

It left a small, pinkish red lip print on the of white paper that was nearly perfect, and it made her smile even broader before taking a small metal tack and pinning it to the back wall of the closet were the door was. He had to come out sometime, but she knew he wouldn't want to see her. She was not blind to how flustered he could get about such things.

Instead she left, but not before securing the necklace around her neck. She stopped to admire it in the distorted refection of a glass jar, making sure it hung straight in the center of her chest before slipping out of the classroom and through the dark dungeon corridors, which seemed a little less gloomy for the time being.


	18. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

While Severus waited in his quarters for her to leave, Veronica practically sashayed down the corridors, one hand fiddling with the dangling pendant.

"Someone's in a better mood" A coy voice simpered behind her and the witch turned to find Remus a few yards behind her, his hands clasped behind his back and a knowing smile across his face.

"Blissful" The woman flashed him a half smile.

"The way you dashed out of breakfast, I have to say I was a little bit worried. Anything you want to talk about."

Veronica's stomach flipped but she shook her head. "No, everything's fine." She shrugged, "How are you?"

Remus shrugged casually, "Fine, fine. "

"Right" Veronica nodded. "I was just wondering because, well you seemed rather jumpy earlier this morning."

"Ah, well. You'll have to forgive that." Remus chuckled, "I guess you just caught me off guard."

"Right" Veronica repeated, "Sorry"

"Not a problem" Remus waved him hand, "The Headmaster said that you are usually with your family on Christmas, can I ask why you aren't now?"

"Oh I just…" Veronica scoffed, "My Parents just took a trip so we decided to wait until Easter this year."

"I see, well I…" Remus paused, his pale brown eyes wandered to her throat and it seemed the words got caught in his mouth.

"What?" Veronica looked down and her hand moved back to the necklace, "Oh that. Isn't it lovely?" a fond smile curled her lips. "Severus just gave it to me."

Remus remained silent as Veronica cradled the full moon medallion. "See look" She slipped the chord off her neck and displayed the pendant before him. "It almost looks identical to the real thing, doesn't it?"

Remus shifted without a word and Veronica felt a slight tension in the air around them.

"Am I interrupting anything?"

Remus jumped like a frightened cat and whipped around to find Severus casting an ominous shadow down the hall.

"Severus, I thought you'd be busy." Veronica smiled and slipped the necklace back on.

"Nonsense, what would give you that idea?" Severus strode forward, "Lupin, I believe Veronica asked you a question."

Remus's mouth opened and closed like a fish for a moment before he plastered on a tense looking smile and nodded. "Yes, it's lovely."

Veronica smiled, but she felt his answer was forced as well as his smile. In fact the very air around them seemed to be filled with vibrating tension.

"Well, I'm going to go visit the library…I'll see you boys later." Veronica excused herself and slipped between them and down the hall, leaving the two men together, alone.

Severus felt a sort of eager and yet anxious tension. He had bought the necklace knowing that not only would Veronica love it, Remus would hate it. Now he stood, waiting for any sort of measurable reaction.

Would he be amused, annoyed, or angry even?

In truth, Severus didn't know what sort of reaction he wanted. A juvenile part of him just wanted to have a go at Remus again, though why he still didn't know.

"Alright there, Lupin?" He finally asked after a period of silence, not even bothering to keep a measure antagonizing out of his voice.

Remus looked at him with cloudy eyes before motioning for them to move on down the hall to someplace more private. They slipped into an empty room and closed the door firmly.

Remus straightened up slightly, "You really haven't changed as much as I thought, have you?"

"You always did think too much of some people." Severus reminded him. "I suppose you haven't changed much either."

Remus scoffed and crossed his arms, "an eternal optimist, But I suspect you have examples?"

"You know exactly who I mean."

"Hm" Remus nodded. "Is Black included among them?"

Severus didn't say anything.

Remus turned to face him with a surprisingly copasetic look on his face, "Severus, I understand you don't like me. But please believe when I say that I would never do anything to put any student's or staff in danger. And that includes Veronica."

"Knowingly, no." Severus nodded. "But I believe we can both agree your judgment in others has put you in situations of danger before, hasn't it?"

Remus froze and blinked. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I don't trust you. No matter what Dumbledore says, I've had more experience with you than he has." Severus became deathly serious. "I don't think you're a bad person, who wants to intentionally harm people. But you seem to have a habit of allowing yourself to be used by people who do."

"So what now? Are you intent on driving me from the school? Back into obscurity?" Remus leaned on the wall. He couldn't lie, it hurt how much Severus distrusted him. How convinced the man was that an animal was laying just below the surface.

"No…I can't" Severus shook his head. "I just want you to be careful, and know that I'm keeping a _very_ close eye on you. And if I think you may be in league with Black, I will keep going to Dumbledore until something is done."

With his piece said, Severus began to turn.

"And Veronica?" Remus inquired. "She's what this is all about, right? Would you be so adamant about all thing if it weren't for her, the passive sort that you are?"

Severus turned to him with the look he had perfected for damn near over a decade. Complete indifference, devoid of emotion and bias.

"I suppose I wouldn't be as insistent. But as for Veronica, I suggest you consider that bobble of hers a warning label, or maybe a reminder. To treat her with the same care as that moon." Severus nodded. "Good day Lupin."

He left the room, and silently strode down the hall, unaware that a pair of sharp green eyes watched him as he went.

As Lupin left a few moments after, Harry popped out from around the corner. "Professor Lupin?"

"Harry?" Remus looked at him curiously. "Something the matter?"

"I don't know, are you alright sir?" Harry asked with a hint of concern. "I just saw Professor Snape and…"

"Oh, that" Remus shook his head, "don't you worry about that. It's all settled."

"He's not trying to run you out, is he sir?" Harry swallowed, even he could see that Snape wasn't exactly fond of the new professor.

"Of course not." Remus chuckled and placed his hand on Harry's shoulder firmly. "Come, walk with me."

Harry strolled beside his slower teacher who looked around of them fondly.

"Professor Snape and I were just discussing something that is of a great deal of importance for both of us. And Even I he wanted me sacked, I don't think he'd take the steps to do so."

Harry was silent a moment before rubbing his hands on his pants and swallowing. "Was it about Madame Largo?" he asked and Remus froze, looking at the boy with a mix of shock and amusement.

"How did you…?"

"Everyone's heard the rumors." Harry flushed. "But I don't…"

Remus laughed at the thought of what students were saying while shaking his head. "Rumors, ay? Well, that's no surprise. And not that it's any of your, or anybody's business, but my feelings for Madame Largo extend no further than friendship, I assure you."

"Ah" Harry chuckled awkwardly, suddenly uncomfortable. However, now he finally knew something Hermione was wrong about.

As Harry left after their conversation, Remus stood in a window, looking out at the snowscape outside with a contemplative frown on his face.

In all honesty, Severus's latest show had actually pissed him off. Not because of the moon, or his threat, but something didn't feel right to him about the way the potions master spoke about Veronica.

It was almost possessive in tone and intent, like a territorial animal with its hackles raised at a possible rival. He hoped, for Veronica's sake, Severus didn't act that way when they were in private, she didn't seem the time to let someone growled and bark around her as though she were a dragon's protected treasure.

And for a moment, Severus appeared just as he had decades ago, with a sly smirk across his face when he had successfully prodded a response out of someone, usually James or Sirius.

Maybe Veronica didn't know Severus like she thought she did. Or maybe Severus was just a damned good actor.

Either way, Remus was becoming increasingly concerned for the seemingly oblivious writer.

Veronica's mind was a-whirl with glee, thoughts of the invitation left her mind. She made it to the library where a large fire was burning and somehow managed to heat the gargantuan space. The chamber seemed cozier than usual, more welcoming and warm like a home. she didn't bother to look and see what book she grabbed, simply swiping one off a shelf and settling in a chair.

"Madame Largo" She looked up and found Hermione Granger standing before her with a slightly eager look on her face.

"Miss. Granger, Merry Christmas."

"Happy Christmas, I'm sorry to bother you, but I wanted you to know how much I enjoyed your last book. I even pre-ordered your newest one so I get one of the first copies when it prints."

Veronica smiled and nodded. "Thank you Miss Granger, but I haven't even had my newest book confirmed for publishing. However, your enthusiasm is flattering."

Hermione frowned slightly. "But I just got the ad today in the post, see." She dug in her pocket and retrieved a folded up poster and handed it to the older woman.

Veronica opened it curiously, her eyes carefully scanning the paper.

Sure enough it was printed by her publishing company. A colorful ad that had NEW RELEASES stretched across the top, and a list of titles and authors printed in less impressive lettering in a column.

"See, it's right...there" Hermione traced her finger down the list to the Ls and sure enough, there she was next to the words The Chamber, the name of her newest book.

"But that's not..."

"Veronica!" Irma rushed up to her, out of breath and clutching a parcel. "Something came for you after you left, and it was already sort of open, and I sort of peeked, but it's very important for you to read"

"Let me see." Veronica snatched it and read it quickly.

 _Manuscript accepted_

 _Printed as soon as possible_

 _notification at earliest publication date._

Veronica read it over and over again, her eyes getting wider and wider until she let out a loud whoop.

"Shhhh" Irma hushed her, trying to preserve the silence in her library.

"Sorry, not really but, Oh my Lord." Veronica laughed. "they really don't waste much time, do they?"

Irma blinked. "Uh, Miss Granger, why don't you run along?"

Hermione nodded, and slipped away as Irma led Veronica by the arm into a back room behind her best. The witch hadn't taken her eyes off the letter since she got it, and her mouth hung like it was on a hinge.

"Veronica?" she snapped her fingers. "are you with me?"

"Yeah...yeah" the witch nodded. "Oh Lord, this is cause for celebration!"

"I'd say so. Hey." Irma knelt beside her. "How about we go out to dinner tonight? Just us girls? I'm sure Dumbledore wouldn't mind, considering the circumstances."

"Sounds perfect" Veronica nodded, still mostly in shock.

"Come on girl," Irma laughed. "I'll take care of everything"


	19. Seperation

Veronica was in a blissful daze for the rest of the day until the evening. Most students were at home but the ones who remained were subject to a grand Christmas feast. Irma's impromptu dinner plans would be taking them both into a small muggle town which was home to a relatively upscale restaurant fit for a celebration, and they left assuring the headmaster that they would be back on school grounds by midnight.

"I don't think I've had a midnight curphew since I was 16." Irma scoffed, tightening her coat around her as they wandered down the cobblestone streets. Veronica scoffed, her breath forming a thick fog before her face. "Did you tell anyone else where we were going?"

"No." Veronica sniffed, "Who would I tell?"

Irma gave her a side long glance that made Veronica roll her eyes violently.

"You know contrary to popular belief, I do _not_ need to tell that man where I am 24/7."

"Has anyone told him that?" Irma laughed, earning a chuckle from Veronica.

"Oh he'll be fine" the woman scoffed, sniffing slightly in the winter air, "He and Lupin have been acting weird lately anyway, I'm glad to get away from them for a night."

"That's no surprise. Considering how much they hated each other in school I'm shocked they're both still alive."

Veronica blinked, " _Hated?_ I knew they disliked each other but don't you think hate is a strong word?"

"Oh you weren't there." Irma went on, her voice growing thick with the urge to story tell. "I had just started working in the library when those two were about 13, and let me tell you I've seen my fair share of scuffles between them."

Veronica listened with interest, knowing she should be telling Irma to lay off such subjects, but she knew this may be the only time to hear the truth.

"It wasn't just Lupin. Actually it usually wasn't him, but his friends Black, Potter, and Pettigrew."

"Black?"

"Sirius Black." Irma whispered. "Him and James Potter, the Potter boy's father. May he rest in peace." The couple slipped into the restaurant, talking the whole time they were seated at a well padded booth.

"Those boys were nothing but trouble, always causing chaos around the school. And Severus was one of their favorites because he'd fight back, at least at first anyway but when it's four on one there's only so much you can do." Veronica's face fell as the story went on further. "I don't know why the teachers didn't do more to stop it, Lord knows they wouldn't listen to me, I'm just a librarian. But anyway I'm glad to know at least one of those hellions grew out of their nonsense, Lupin wasn't as bad as the other three but he certainly never did anything to stop them. Isn't it amazing how someone can grow up so different than they were?"

Veronica was gob smacked. Remus Lupin? A bully?

The very idea seemed so alien to her, and so contrary to his sweet nature. She knew Severus could be an absolute pain to be around, and that he had a real mean streak in him that it didn't take too much to reveal, but the idea of him doing anything to warrant a four on one attack was unimaginable. Not at age thirteen.

Now it made sense why Severus would get so agitated when Veronica talked endlessly about Lupin, who would want to listen to nothing but conversation about someone you used to hate from a person you considered a friend.

"I had no idea." Veronica shook her head. "Thank you for telling me that Irma, you've really cleared up some things for me."

"Don't mention it." Irma nodded. "And don't tell Severus I told you either, I can't imagine he would want to know stories were being told about him."

"I won't I promise."

"Good, now…" Irma unfolded her menu, "Let's talk about something else. It's Christmas, and I refuse to be anything but merry tonight."

"As long as you're not so merry that I have to drag you back to the castle." Veronica hinted with a laugh.

The night went on in peace, as any good Christmas ought to. Once Snape and Lupin had realized that Veronica had fled them for the night, they both returned to their own forms of celebration.

Lupin enjoying the feast, and Snape eager to return back to his room and a certain black book he had recently received as a gift.

The only person who seemed momentarily less than jolly was a Miss. Hermione Granger, who had recently received devastating news that two of her favorite staff members were, in fact, not pinning after each other like she had imagined.

After the feast had concluded, Lupin pocketed a napkin full of food he had snagged in secret and slipped out of the hall in silence. Careful to make sure that he was not followed by a very specific potions master with a nose perfect for sneaking around were it doesn't belong, Remus slipped out of the castle through a secret exit he had discovered as a boy, one of the many he could remember but the only one that was outside the reach of the dementors.

Trudging through the snow in his worn shoes and patchy robes, Remus found himself at the edge of the forest, peering in light reflecting off the snow into the woods.

Slowly he pursed his lips and let out a soft whistle, one high note, one low, then high once again. Without waiting he tossed the food into the woods and ran as fast as his feet would carry him, diving back through the secret entrance before he could be spotted. Once back inside, he leaned against the trap door dejectedly, allowing a few hot tears to stream down his cheeks before letting go and openly weeping into his knees.

Outside in the harsh cold, a short figure crept out of the trees. A shaggy black dog, nearly emaciated from hunger, sniffed at the food carefully before wolfing it down in vigor.

"Merry Christmas Sirius" Remus thought through his tears, still waring with himself over if he had just aided a murderer, or helped an oldest, and dearest friend.


	20. Snake Bites Dog

Soon winter began to melt into spring; and with the rebirth of the seasons, Severus noticed another new change. A change in Veronica, how she spoke to him.

She no longer mentioned Lupin to him, never said his name even in passing.

She would come visit him more often, bringing an offering of food or tea and, much to his pleasure, often wearing the necklace he had gifted her.

Yes she would still hang around Lupin, obviously still friendly and courteous to the man as she had been before, but no longer did Severus feel that his place in Veronica's eyes was in question.

Yes, it was a lovely way to start the spring.

Veronica had resumed her place atop on the Lockhart book empire and slowly but surely had begun to build up one of her own. It was clear from the way she spoke, however, that it was slowly becoming not enough.

"Still under Marauding with Monsters." She muttered one March morning, shaking her head in displeasure. "And Year with the Yeti…and Magical Me…"

"You're torturing yourself." Severus mused through his coffee, letting her fumble with the newspaper for as long as she needed, but slipping the business section out of her lap.

"I can't help it, a friend at the prophet wrote me yesterday and told me not to look in today's paper for my story." Veronica grumbled and set the paper down with a sigh.

"Then why are you?"

"Because I want to know."

Severus took the paper and set it on the table, "Don't. You don't take criticism well."

"Wha-!" Veronica huffed indignantly. "I take critique very well, thank you very much."

Veronica snatched it back and let her eyes flutter to the dreaded review section, where the words of a single critic could make or break a story.

"What it lacks in complexity, groundbreaking commentary, and deeply rooted meaning, The Chamber makes up for by being thoroughly entertaining novel for the casual reader."

"Oof, ouch" Flitwick, who had been eavesdropping two seats away, muttered earning a slight nudge from Irma.

Veronica winced. "I….don't know what to say to that."

"Just take it and run with it." Severus shrugged. "It's not a bad review, it's just…a note."

"I agree" Lupin cut in. "Not everything needs to be some deep social commentary or statement, sometimes people just want to read for fun."

"Yeah. Maybe you're right." Veronica sighed, unconvinced. The tight knot in her stomach grew tighter as she folded up the paper and leaned back in her chair slightly. "I think I've lost my appetite, please excuse me."

She left the table and the paper quietly, looking the utter image of a kicked dog.

"Some one should-" Lupin began to stand until Snape kicked his chair slightly.

"Don't. Don't go after her." He insisted. "She needs some time alone."

"How do you know?"

Severus scoffed at the man mockingly, "Do you think this is the first time she's gotten a less than stellar review? She'll be alright in an hour or two, you've just got to let her pout for a bit."

"Maybe if you didn't treat her like a baby she could learn to cope better." Remus muttered under his breath, but Severus still heard and froze mid sip of coffee, before calmly finishing his cup and taking a breath.

"What _exactly_ does _that_ mean?"

"Forget it, it doesn't matter."

"Obviously…" Severus turned slightly in his chair, "It _does,_ or else you wouldn't have said anything. And might I remind you, I've known her for quite a bit longer than you have so-"

"Boys, please…" Irma cut in, flashes of school yard fights running through her head, "Let's be adults here, if you must bicker than please don't in front of the students."

"I'd be happy to continue this elsewhere." Severus half growled, standing up to slip past them, only to add under his own breath behind Lupin's chair. "If you're man enough to follow, that is."

Lupin nearly slammed down his fork, but was able to keep himself in check long enough to follow Snape out of the hall and into a more private location.

"What the hell was that?"

"I could ask you the exact same thing."

"I told you it doesn't matter."

"Clearly is does, enough for you to shoot your mouth off." Severus crossed his arms tight enough to trap his hands. "Veronica and mine's dynamic is none of your business and it's certainly not your place to be publicly commenting on it."

"You're not the only person here who cares about her Snape." Remus snapped, "She's not _yours,_ you don't get to lay claim to her just because she's _nice to you_."

"You're out of your mind, I just told you how things work with her. If you don't like it maybe go find out for yourself like I have."

"Maybe I could, if you weren't constantly breathing down the back of our necks whenever we so much as look at each other." Remus reminded him pointedly.

"Don't use my concern as an excuse for _you_ being too much of a coward to talk to her." Snape sneered cruelly, "Or maybe deep down you're smart enough to realize that no matter what you do or say, _I'm_ right because _I_ know that you're not safe to be around her. Don't get angry with _me_ just because I'm the voice of reason h-"

Severus didn't get to finish before Remus had him to the wall by his shirt, rage etched into his face from where Snape's words had drilled into precisely the wrong nerve.

"Shut up you little…!"

"Remus!"

They froze, the harkening of footsteps drawing a small smile in Snape's eyes as Remus dropped him, horrified with himself.

"What is the _matter with you two?_ " Veronica hissed, pushing herself between the two of them firmly.

"Veronica- I swear…I swear to God it isn't what it looks like." Remus sputtered, his face growing red.

"I don't know what to think Remus, but at the moment I think it's best if I'm not around you." Veronica spoke so sharply it even made Snape wince before he could compose himself properly.

"Veronica, this isn't something you need to worry about." He touched her shoulder calmly, "Everything is _fine._ " He eyed Lupin sharply, " _Isn't it?"_

Lupin froze, only blinking before letting out a sigh and nodding. "Exactly, everything is fine…"

He eyed Veronica who's face was still twisted in anger before looking back to Snape with barely concealed distain. "I apologize if I over reacted."

Severus smirked a little but nodded, "Think nothing of it."

"Severus, why don't we go talk down stairs?" Veronica suggested quietly, nudging his arm to the side. He complied happily, unable to believe his own luck and not even bothering to look back at the trapped man behind them.

"Are you okay?" Veronica's face cracked as soon as they reached the dungeon. "Are you hurt?"

"Me? No, no, I'm fine." Severus shook his head, trying to appear modest. "Honestly."

"I can't believe what I just saw. I didn't think Remus had a mean bone in his body" Veronica was shattered, she hadn't wanted to believe Irma's story on Christmas, but could she go so far as to deny what she saw with her own two eyes?

"It doesn't matter now" Severus hushed her.

"What was he so mad about?" Veronica asked and Snape sucked in a breath.

"You." He answered truthfully. There was no reason to lie. "I think he's jealous of how well I know you, he said I'm too possessive of you." He thought a moment, allowing his hand to wander to her arm. "Am I?"

Veronica shivered at this rare touch and shook her head.

"Of course not!" she cried. "You're just…you. You're a protective person, there's nothing wrong with that." She hesitantly moved closer. "If you weren't such a guard dog, than who knows where I would be."

Severus smiled genuinely.

"Veronica, you know I care about you don't you?" He began, "That day in your bedroom I…I only did what I did because if anything ever happened to you, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. All I want is to keep you safe."

Veronica's heart soared so high she thought it might burst from her chest and sing.

"I understand, Severus." Veronica swallowed. "You're a good man, and I don't know what to say except that you've made me so happy I'm at a loss for words."

Maybe is was the darkness of the dungeon, or perhaps that still warm glow of victory in his chest, or even both that gave Severus the courage to do what he did.

The kiss couldn't have surprised Veronica more if it had been accompanied by fireworks.

It wasn't long or romantic at all, with all the skill of an awkward teenager on a thrilling dare. But all the same it made Veronica's hair stand on end and her heart race.

Neither one of the spoke afterwards, simply leaning on the cold wall against each other.

When the sound of children above them reached their ears, Severus cleared his throat. "we'll have to go, classes will be starting soon."

"Severus."

"Huh?"

"Did you really mean all of…that?" Veronica whispered.

"I did."

"And the last part?"

Severus shifted, no longer touching her or even looking at her. "I'm sorry."

"Don't" Veronica cut him off quickly, grabbing his hand to turn him back around "Please don't. I loved it, it was perfect."

She paused, listening to the dull roar of student chatter approaching. Quickly she took his hand and kiss the top of it chastely and squeeze it tightly. "I have to go."

Severus didn't say anything as she left, the sheer force of what just happened hitting him like a brick until he was able to pull himself together long enough to face the class without even a hint of what just happened


	21. When Walls Speak

The next week went on with a record amount of tension among the staff. No one dared to speak on the Lupin v. Snape outburst, though both of them did get a thorough reprimand from McGonagall later in the day for causing a scene. Lupin took his scolding like a man but didn't bother to look Snape in the face after his dirty play in the corridor.

In his heart he was more than hurt, and he had lost a great deal of respect for Snape. Severus, on the other hand, didn't seem to give a tinker's damn about whether or not Lupin respected him; he had far bigger issues on his mind. It had become clear to both the Professor and Veronica that they could no longer ignore the fact that their feelings extended beyond friendship. After the encounter in the dungeons they went through the day hardly seeing each other at all until after dinner, where they were able to sit down in Severus's quarters and talk things out like grownups.

Well, Veronica did most of the talking. Severus wasn't very good at vocalizing these sorts of things.

"We can keep it a secret if you want." Veronica suggested. "No one has to know until we want them to."

Severus nodded. "I think that would be for the best. At least for now."

"Are you okay?" Veronica asked. "You seem very out of it."

"I am" Severus agreed, "In case you couldn't tell, this sort of thing isn't my forte."

"That's okay" she knelt by his chair with a smile. "there is no right way to do this you know. We can just carry on like we did before, no different."

Veronica paused a moment, "You don't seem like the type that would do this, but are you okay with me still being friends with Lupin?"

Severus blinked as Veronica went on.

"I know why you don't like him….I heard some stories…and after this morning I'm not so sure how I feel about him either but…"

Severus felt a tug of guilt having warp Veronica's view of Lupin, but she didn't see anything that wasn't true. Severus stood by what he said, he didn't have any reason to think otherwise. But still, she had so few close friends here, and it wasn't her fault she was cooped up here.

"I…" Severus swallowed. "I can't lie, I don't like the idea of you being alone with him. Not because I don't trust you, but because I've known Lupin for a long time, long enough not to like or trust him."

Veronica's face grew grim, making Severus squirm slightly.

"However… you're a grown woman. And if you want to continue being good friends with him because it makes you happy, than I will support that."

"Do you really mean that?"

 _No_

"Yes"

Veronica smiled and took his hand, "You're a good man."

There was a knock at the book that had them both shooting up from their seats.

"It's probably Dumbledore, I'll see what he wants." Severus sighed and moved to open the door, finding Minerva standing their expectantly instead.

"Minerva, what can I do for you?"

"Severus, I hate to bother you so late but I wonder if you can cover Hagrid's watch tonight? He's got himself in such a state over that creature that I didn't think it wise to have him patrolling tonight."

Severus rolled his eyes but nodded. "I'll be there."

"Thank you, I'll see you in two hours then." She peered around him to spy Veronica sitting on the edge of the seat listening in. Veronica waved awkwardly and earned a sniff from Minerva who left them be quickly.

"Well, so much for that secret." Severus growled in annoyance.

"Why, what's wrong?"

"She knows, she's got a sixth sense or something, she can always tell." Severus shook his head. "You can count on being called into the Headmaster's office by tomorrow."

"Oof" Veronica winced before standing. "What should I say if that happens, do we tell the truth?"

"School policy dictates that no relationship between coworkers should extend beyond professionalism, but to be honest this wouldn't be the first time that rule was broken. In any case I can't really be fired, and you're not technically staff. So we're in the clear for now"

Veronica nodded, relieved that this wouldn't cost anyone their job. "Well, I had better head to my quarters then."

 _Already?_ Severus wanted to ask, but only nodded moved to lead her towards the door.

"Be safe tonight, alright?" Veronica told him, "Remember what you told me? There's more than just Sirius Black to watch out for these days."

Severus, touched by her concern, hardened his hold on her waist before she reached the door. "Get some rest."

She nodded gently and turned.

"And for what it's worth…" He added, "I think that critic is dead wrong, I think it's an excellent book."

"Thanks." Veronica peered back at him with a knowing smile, "Goodnight."

After their rendezvous, Veronica was left with a lot to think about. As much as she was disappointed in Lupin, she was even happier with this new rapport between Severus and herself. But she wouldn't dare let word slip, not to a single soul.

"You have got some _explaining to do_!"

Veronica jumped as she entered her own room to find Irma standing in the bathroom door way.

"Christ!" She clutched her chest in shock, "Irma, what are you trying to do? Kill me?"

"When were you going to tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"Don't you lie to me" Irma fumed, seeming genuinely angry, "When were you going to tell me you and Severus were sneaking around?"

"Irma please, it's been a very weird day, I'm still trying to process what happened. And quite frankly, I have no clue what you're talking about." Veronica brushed past her and peeled off her top layer of robes and kicked off her shoes. "Now, I'm going to sit down, try to unwind a little. And if you would be so kind, kindly walk me through what it is I have supposedly done."

Irma perched herself at the desk and Veronica began to undress to her own comfort and rolled her neck.

"Word is going around that you shunned Lupin and ran off with Severus to the dungeons"

"I didn't _shun_ Lupin, I just walked in on a side of him I hadn't seen before. I'm going to talk to him about it tomorrow" Veronica corrected her. "But yes, I did go down into the dungeons with Severus, like I have done a hundred times before. That doesn't mean we're sneaking around."

"Veronica, the portraits _saw you._ In the hall and in the dungeon" Irma hissed in a tone that as almost a warning. "It's all over the castle at this point so if you're trying to be slick about it, the time to stop is now."

Veronica paled, in the moment the two of them had forgotten that in Hogwarts, the walls really do have ears, and eyes as well.

Veronica went very still for a few moments before letting out a long, loud breath. "Christ Almighty, can't _anything_ stay private in this place?"

"And what happened with Lupin? What did you see? The portraits are only saying that there was some kind of altercation between Lupin and Snape and you got in the middle of it."

Veronica looked down and began to undo her updo, "It doesn't matter."

"Veronica."

"I said it doesn't matter, Irma." Veronica snapped. "I'm not one for gossip these days, enough gets passed along without me pitching in."

Irma blinked at her sharp tone and pulled in her lips as Veronica shook her head.

"I'm tired, I think I'll go to bed early tonight."

"Alright" Irma stood solemnly, "When you want to talk, I am here to listen."

"I'll keep that in mind." Veronica nodded, her eyes following her out before closing the door behind her and flopping down on the bed.

"You know." She whispered to no one, "I'm really starting to hate this place."

At this point, Veronica was ready to walk out into the dark and track down Black herself just so she could go back to her flat and sleep in her own bed.

Stripping herself of the rest of her clothes to her skin, the woman sat on the edge of the bed and bent her spine back as far as she could until she felt the sweet relief of a pop in her lower back. But the relief did little to dampen her irritation. She suspected that any person she encountered next could draw her ire, so it would be best for her to avoid anyone else for the rest of the night. Hell, even at that moment she swore she felt eyes on her in the privacy of her own room.

Once again her mind wandered back to the isolated family cabin she had longed for at the start of winter. When she had brought it up, she had hinted that she wanted Severus to come with her. It hadn't a thought out suggestion, just saying whatever came to mind at the time. But at the same time she had to wonder if he had thought about it as well.

Slipping into a simple shift and between the covers, it didn't take long for Veronica to fall asleep. But it seemed the second she closed her eyes, they were open again, this time in completely darkness with the clear sound of shuffling in her ear.

Shooting up from the bed, Veronica turned on the light quickly and cast the dim lamp light over the room. Shadows lurked all around her, but her ears caught voices outside her door.

"Oh what fresh hell is this?" Veronica sighed and yanked on her long, outer robe. She marched towards the door, slipping down the narrow stair case and listened through the door at the bottom. There were multiple voices, and a glow of light through the crack under the door that told her something was going on that could very easily be happening some place else.

Swinging the door open quickly, she frowned at the form of a student who's light quickly went off before Veronica would light her own wand.

"Mr. Potter." She sighed, "What do you think you're doing out of bed at this time of night?"

Potter sputtered, both hands behind his back tightly. "I uh…I was just."

"Just breaking at least two school rules at once." Veronica interrupted him. "Don't you know how dangerous it could be out here by your se…what are you doing? What are you looking for?" She blinked in confusion as Harry looked behind her quickly then quickly turned around in a circle.

"Uh, Nothing. I…"

"What is going on down here?"

Veronica turned to find Severus stalking towards them both, looking thoroughly annoyed.

"Just a student out of bed, Professor." Veronica shrugged

Snape scowled at Potter and looked him up and down, "what are you hiding behind your back?"

Harry shook his head and shrugged. "Spare bit of parchment."

"Really, open it." Severus demanded. Harry flicked his eyes between Snape and Veronica, who simply nodded her head expectantly and leaned on the door frame, arms crossed tightly.

Harry reluctantly pulled out a folded up bit of parchment that appeared to be completely blank. He presented the pages to them with a helpless look on his face as Severus stepped forward and placed his own wand on the page.

"Reveal your secrets."

Slowly, black ink letters began to form on the page and Harry peered down at them with a ghost of a smile threatening to spill across his face.

"Read it."

Harry blinked, once again flicking his eyes up between the two adult before hesitantly beginning. "Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs... offer their compliments to Professor Snape and..."

He paused, swallowing hard and clearly unwilling to continue. Snape however, was not having it.

"Go on."

Harry glanced specifically at Veronica this time and shook his head a little in defeat. "And request he keep his large nose out of other people's business."

Veronica sucked in a sharp breath and eyed Severus carefully. He didn't take it well.

"You insolent little…!"

"Professor."

A fourth voice joined their circle of light as Remus appeared out of the darkness of the hallway.

"Well, well, well, Lupin." Severus almost smirked, "What brings you to this part of the castle? Out for a walk in the moonlight?"

Lupin ignored Severus and instead turned to Harry kindly. "Are you alright?"

"That remains to be seen." Severus snapped, snatching the parchment out of Harry's hands while he was distracted and presenting it to Lupin. "Madame Largo and I have just confiscated this curious artifact from Potter, perhaps you'd like to take a look at it. It does seem to be full of _dark magic_ "

Snape added the bit about dark magic in a tone dripping with sarcasm, but it was ignored by Lupin who instead took the paper and eyed it with amusement.

"I seriously doubt that Severus." He scoffed, "if anything it just appears to be a joke parchment designed to insult anyone who tries to read it. Very likely a Zonko's product."

Severus rolled his eyes and reached to take the parchment back before Lupin snatched it just out of his reach "But never the less I will investigate it for any hidden qualities if you insist." He smiled knowingly, "and I will also be seeing you in my office Mr. Potter, if you'll follow me."

Harry nodded and followed Remus down the hall, pausing only to wait for Remus who had turned and nodded to the two remaining adult politely. "Good evening you two. Don't keep each other up to late now."

"I…" Severus started to shoot something back before Veronica grabbed his arm.

"Don't, it's not worth it. Not tonight." She whispered. "Besides. I have something I need to ask you."

"It can't wait until morning?"

"I can't risk anyone hearing us." She insisted, eyeing the portraits with a strong distrust. "The walls have ears."

Severus looked around at the portraits, some of which were awake and glaring at them. "Alright. But make it fast."

Veronica pulled him up into the stair well and stopped half way so that Irma couldn't hear them, but anyone in the hall couldn't either.

"I suppose you've heard, but apparently the portraits have been spreading the news of our encounter in the dungeons."

Severus winced. "Tell me you're lying."

"I wish I were." Veronica shook her head. "But that's not what I'm worried about, I'm just worried about anything I say making it back to the wrong ears."

"That's a valid fear, I'm afraid." Severus agreed. "So what do you want to know."

"I know Lupin and Sirius Black were friends in the past. Good friends."

Severus's eye widened. "Who told you-?"

"It doesn't matter who did, but it raises a question I think you've been worrying over since the beginning" Veronica squared herself up to him seriously. "Severus, do you suspect that Remus Lupin is in league with Sirius Black?"

Severus was shaken, "I…"

"Be honest."

"I don't know." Severus admitted. "I can't be sure, but yes it has crossed my mind quite often. And between you and me, I have brought it up with the Headmaster but he insists he trusts Lupin."

"Yes well, He trusted Lockhart enough to hire him too." Veronica's lips thinned and she nodded grimly. "Is that why you don't want me around him?"

Severus paused. The question was there, he had a free pass to finally tell her the truth about Lupin.

"Yes." He nodded, swallowing the bitterness in his throat, "That's why. But again, I can't be sure."

Veronica swallowed and sighed. "It's late, and I'm keeping you from work." She began to turn. "I'll let you get back."

"Wait." Severus stopped her from leaving, "Why do you ask? Has he said something to you?"

"No, no, I just…" Veronica sighed, "I'm just being paranoid I guess. Being cooped here for so long, you're mind does funny things." She giggled nervously, "I even woke up thinking something was in my room."

Severus frowned, "Was there?"

"I just heard some shuffling in the dark, it was probably just a mouse or something. Or my imagination."

"Still" Severus grunted, "Would you mind if I checked? I am supposed to be patrolling anyway, looking out for suspicious activity."

Veronica scoffed, "If that isn't the most elaborate excuse to get into my bedroom." She joshed lightly before nodding. "Seriously, I'm fine. And if anything is there, Irma is right next door and will hear me scream."

"Oh that makes me feel much better, thanks." Severus grumbled scathingly. "But if you're sure."

"I'm sure."

"Than I suppose I had better take my leave."

"Yep" Veronica kissed his cheek softly, an act that took him a back suddenly. "Goodnight, stay safe."

Severus nodded and slipped back down the stairs, closing the door quietly and standing in the hall in silence for a moment.

"Turn out that damned light" One of the portraits swore at him, earning a fiery glare.

"Oh shut up you stupid waste of canvas. What have you got to sleep for? It's not like you've got anywhere to be."


	22. Bad Moon Rising

"Tonight, he who betrayed his friends, whose heart rots with murder... shall break free. Innocent blood shall be spilt... and servant and master shall be reunited once more."

The words echoed in Harry's head as he trudged along down the grassy hill along with Ron and Hermione, lost deeply in thought.

"I can't believe they're going to kill Buckbeak" Hermione shook her head incredulously. "It's just too horrible."

"It's about to get worse" Ron grumbled, setting his sights on a blond crop of hair that laughed loudly at the bottom of the hill. Draco Malfoy, preening like a peacock, threw back his head and let out a satisfied laugh at some unheard joke.

Just the sight of the boy was enough to set Hermione off on a rampage down the hill.

Veronica, on the other hand, exited the castle feeling all together muted in personality and appearance. She had heard the dreadful news from Hagrid himself through the poor man's own loud sobs. It was now that she had decided to trudge down the same hill herself, one hand stuffed in her large cloak pocket.

"Stay still you beast" She whispered, opening her pocket a bit to glare at the large, fat rat that was her cargo.

It was the Weasley boy's rat, and she had found the pitiful thing hiding in her laundry hamper that morning. That, she figured, must have been the shuffling she had heard the previous night.

"You already got part of my breakfast, you should be tired by now."

The rat didn't respond, unsurprisingly, and simply rolled itself around in her pocket, clearly enjoying itself.

"Not a word to anyone, understood?" She glanced up to see Draco Malfoy stumbling down the hill past her with his hand clutched to his nose.

"Problem Mr. Malfoy?"

"That Granger girl is a _menace_ " he howled, "She attacked me!"

"See yourself to the hospital wing Mr. Malfoy." Veronica nearly groaned out of disinterest, figuring that if Hermione Granger, the golden girl, had decided it was best to sock Malfoy in the nose, she was probably in the right.

Rather than track down the girl, Veronica decided to keep on to Hagrid's, getting there just as the children did.

"I wasn't expecting to see you three here today." Veronica eyed them, "I suppose you've heard."

"Yes Ma'am" Hermione nodded solemnly "We think it's just awful."

"Yes well" Veronica nodded, "It's good of you to come, I'm afraid poor Hagrid will need all the help he can get."

She knocked on the door and it opened to find a truly sorrowful looking half giant on the other side.

"Hagrid." Veronica frowned sympathetically, "We've come to give our condolences. "

They gathered in the small hut and drank tea awkwardly.

"Can't we just let him go?" Hermione asked.

"They'd know it was me." Hagrid shook his head, "and Dumbledore would get into trouble… he's coming down, Dumbledore." Hagrid stood and looked out the window at the hippogriff tied up in the garden. "Great man, Dumbledore."

"We'll stay with you to Hagrid." Harry suggested but Hagrid turned swiftly.

"You certainly will not." He rejected the idea immediately. "Think I want you kids seeing something like that? No. You drink your tea and be off."

"And before you do." Veronica remembered suddenly. "Mr. Weasley, I believe I have something of yours."

She fumbled in her pocket for a moment and pulled out the ancient rat, which sniffed the air and blinked in the sudden sunlight.

"Scabbers!" Ron cried with joy. "Where did you find him?"

"He must have snuck into my room somehow." Veronica smiled a little. "You'll do well to keep better track of him from now on."

"I will, Thank you!"

"Looks like you own someone an apology." Hermione prompted him.

"You're right" Ron nodded, "Next time I see Crookshanks, I'll let him know."

"I meant _me"_

"Ow!" Harry wince and touched the back of his head, The next second a small pot next to his hand shattered. "Blimey! What was that?"

Veronica stepped forward and peered out the window, but instead of someone throwing rocks she instead saw the headmaster and minister trotting down the hill, followed by a man with an extremely large ax."

"Children, it's time for you to leave." She turned sharply. "It's nearly past Curfew and the headmaster is coming."

Heavy knocking came at the front door that made them jump.

"Out the back, quick" Hagrid shooed the teenagers out and shut the door before opening the front.

"Someone else here, Hagrid?" the Minister asked, looking around curiously.

"Just Ms. Veronica here." Hagrid shuffled and motioned to the petite woman at his side.

"Ah yes, Ms. Largo. A pleasure to see you again."

"Minister." Veronica nodded curtly.

"I-uh" Hagrid sighed uncomfortably. "Veronica, maybe it would be best if you headed on up to the castle."

"But- "

"I don't want someone as nice as you seeing something like this." Hagrid insisted, clearly already getting choked up. "if you don't mind."

Veronica shook her head and hugged the half giant as tight as her arms could get around him. "Alright Hagrid, I will if that's what you want."

Hagrid patted her back with his large hand before stepping away. "Alright, off you pop then."

Veronica began up the hill, turning back a moment before heading back up.

The children were standing at the top of the hill, the garden just out of sight.

"I thought I told you to…"

"I couldn't" Harry interrupted. "I mean…"

"I understand" Veronica nodded. "Very well, but after you'll have to go inside, I will see you Hagrid tonight."

The three nodded in agreement and they waited in tense silence, until after a few minutes the top of the axe could be seen over the garden wall before coming down with a terrible thud.

"Oh God." Hermione whined and buried her face in Ron's shoulder.

Veronica too went pale as a ghost but shook herself hard and turned to face them. "It's over now, time to get b- "

"OW! Scabbers!"

Ron cried out and tossed the rat instinctively, watching the ragged thing dart off down the hill. "He bit me! Scabbers bit me!"

Ron darted off after the rat before anyone could stop him.

"Mr. Weasley!" Veronica shouted, "Come back here!"

"I have to get my rat!"

"We'll go get him!" Harry and Hermione sprinted off after him, leaving Veronica stunned in her spot until she regained her self and let out a loud growl of frustration before running into the castle.

"Remus!" the first person she spotted was tan clad professor in the hall. "Remus, I need your help!"

"What's the matter?" Remus blinked in surprise at her sudden appearance.

"Weasley, Potter, and Granger have run off after Weasley's." She panted, trying to catch her breath. "I tried to stop them, but they don't listen to me and it's nearly dark. Do you think you could get them?"

Remus's eyes grew wide and he nodded. "I'll be right back with them, don't you worry."

"Thank you!" She called after him as he ran down the hall and into the court yard.

Thank God. She thought. Maybe she and Severus were wrong after all, maybe he was trust worthy.

"Veronica?"

She turned sharply to find Severus standing in the Defense classroom doorway looking pale.

"Have you seen Lupin?"

"Yes, he was just…"

"I need to find him _now."_

"I sent him after the children…" Veronica informed him, frowning when Severus looked as if he were about to faint. "They were headed toward the whomping willow after the rat, I couldn't stop them, so I sent him. Severus what's the matter, you look terrible!"

Severus let out a shaking breath before swallowing hard, keeping a tight grip on the heavy looking potion's jar in his hand.

"Veronica Listen to me. I need you to stay here, do _not_ follow me! Find Dumbledore, tell him Remus got out before taking his potion, he'll understand."

"What? Severus wait!" She grabbed his leave tightly. " _I_ don't understand! What's happening?"

"Lupin is a werewolf." Severus spat, no longer bothering to hide the truth from her. "I've been brewing him wolfsbane potion every month to keep him in check, but sometimes he forgets, and he forgot tonight. It's the first night of the full moon and there _no time to say any more just go!"_

Veronica felt as if her heart had stopped as he disappeared into the night.

Only one thing felt certain.

She _had_ to find Dumbledore


	23. The Madness Within

Veronica didn't know if she was angry, overwhelmed, or even just plain terrified. But the longer she searched high and low for Dumbledore without any luck, the deeper and deeper her mind seemed to spiral. The light outside the window was fading fast, and soon the moon would be high and bright in the sky. She didn't know who she could go to and decided to run to the last place she had seen the headmaster.

"Hagrid!" Veronica cried, pounding on the heavy wood door with her firsts. "Hagrid, open up, It's important!"

"Veronica?" Hagrid pulled open the door slowly, swaying slightly in the breezeway. "Wha- _hic_ What are you doin' here? I thought I told- _hic_ you to…"

"Hagrid please." Veronica stopped him, trying not to cringe at the scent on ale on the half giant's breath. "Where is Headmaster Dumbledore? I need to find him as fast as I can."

"Dumbledore? He left" Hagrid sighed, "Left after the whole ordeal with the minister. Said something about- _hic_ helping the minister best he can."

"Helping the min- you don't think he could be at the Ministry, do you?!"

Hagrid shrugged and let out a bellowing yawn. "I'm sure you'll see him in the morning. Goodnight." He closed the door mindlessly, leaving Veronica in the dark.

Frantic to try and find out what to do, Veronica closed her eyes tightly and tried to calm down.

" _Ow!_ Careful!"

Her eyes shot open at the sudden cry in the night.

"Weasley?" She whispered and whipped around, darting up the hill as fast as her legs could carry her. Though the moon was covered by clouds, she could see in the silvery light the outlines of three shorter figures accompanied by two taller ones.

It was them, she let out a small laugh of relief. Severus had gotten there and gotten Remus the potion and collected the students, everything was going to be fine.

"Children!" She called, jogging towards them and waving one arm in the air so they could see her. "Thank God!"

The figures stopped alongside the whomping willow and watched her approach a moment, the outline that could only be Severus making to break away from the group…towards the woods? Potter grabbed his sleeve to keep him there as she approached. But as she drew closer, her smile fell, and dread filled her stomach.

That was not Severus.

His hair was matted and wavy, and his face was skull like from shadows.

His clothes were tattered and dirty, torn away in some places to reveal a series of intricate tattoos.

"Remus…" Veronica stopped a few yards away from them. Her voice had gone soft and shaky. "Tell me it's not true."

"Veronica please." Remus stepped forward slowly, his tone trying to sound soothing, "I can explain everything."

"Children" Veronica swallowed, reaching out her hand to them, her hand moving slowly for her own wand and drawing it fully. "Come here, please."

"Madame Largo…"

"I said _come here"_ she hissed harsher than she meant to before adding in a lighter tone, "Please."

Hermione was the first to break away from the group, letting Ron lean on her as they hobbled towards the stone-cold woman. Harry remained between Remus and the stranger.

But he wasn't a stranger.

Veronica had seen him before.

In her apartment.

"Mr. Potter" She whispered softly, "please."

"We can explain, he's not dangerous." Harry protested. "He hasn't hurt anyone, I promise. It was Pettigrew." He jerked around and gestured to someone that appeared to be just out of sight, behind Remus. At first, she thought the poor boy was confused until she heard the loud squeal of protest that came when Harry lunged at them.

"Harry" Remus intruded gently, "I think I may be best if you go over with your friends. And let the adults talk things out."

Harry paused, looking back at Black with sad eyes before moving away reluctantly. Veronica took his arm as he got close enough and pulled her behind him with the other two.

"Where…is…Severus?" Veronica hissed. "Have you seen him?"

Remus looked toward the tree and then back at her, "He's fine…or rather he will be. He's just unconscious." He took a step forward "Veronica I kn- "

His never words were cut off but a jolt of pain that bent him in half. Veronica's pulse raced as she stepped away slowly, pushing the children with her. The agonies kept coming as Black lunged forward and caught him. "Remus, my friend!"

Veronica looked up at the sky and saw that the black clouds had parted, giving the moonlight full reign over the grounds.

"He never got his potion." Veronica squawked, panic rising in her chest. "He never got the potion! Children r- "

She was cut off by an unholy wail that killed the breath in her lungs. Remus's body bent and distorted in ways that no human body should ever be able to, his skin greyed and stretched like a corpse's over his shifting skeleton. The sight was horrific to watch, and even worse to listen to.

"No!" Sirius howled, lunging behind Remus a moment before scrambling to keep the man upright. Veronica watched as the outline of a fat, brown rat darted off into the hallow of the tree but quickly returned to focusing on the werewolf at hand.

"Get them out of here!" Sirius bellowed out her, "Go! Now!"

"Children run!" She whipped around and urged them, even giving them a slight push that sent Ron to the ground howling.

"My Leg!"

"Oh No!" Veronica knelt next to him. "Granger, Potter, run for the castle, I will take care of Mr. Weasley!"

"We're not leaving you two." Harry barked back, not caring if she really counted as a teacher or not. He flung Ron's arm over his shoulder and began to help her lift.

"Remus! Remember who you are!" Sirius pled with his friend, "This heart is where you truly live, here, this flesh means nothing! No- "

Black was cut off with his own yell when Lupin, if one could still call him that, threw him against the tree.

Fully transformed, Veronica whipped around and froze, keeping her arms across the children she stood there between them with her breath stuck in her lungs.

"Wait." Hermione broke past her and towards the werewolf.

"Ms. Granger! Stop!" Veronica lunged for her but missed as Hermione slowly approached the beast with a bravery Veronica was baffled by.

"Professor?" Hermione asked, "Professor Lupin?"

Carefully she reached out her own hand and for a second it seemed as if Remus had broken through. Until the beast jumped at Hermione and let out a soul shaking howl.

Veronica snatched Hermione back and drew her wand quickly, not knowing how many options they had.

"I'll hold him off, you run."

"We won't be able to get away with Ron's leg." Harry pointed out.

"Go down the hallow, it's how you got up here, isn't it?" Veronica instructed. "On my mark…one… two" her grip tightened on her wand…"Three!"

"There you are."

Veronica was blinded momentarily by a sudden force plowing into her side, clearly not noticing she was there. Her wand knocked to the ground, Veronica shook her head and scrambled up.

"Severus, dammit!" She swore and turned back towards Lupin.

For a split second, Veronica's eyes met the blacked-out pupils of the werewolf and in that second, she searched for any spark, any flicker of recognition or humanity remaining. But as the beast lunged at the group, and she shoved herself between Severus's back and the approaching maw, she found none.

Nor did she find any when she felt the harsh burn of claws digging onto her shoulder and face.

And she certainly didn't see any when she felt a rush of cold and the heightened sensation of thick wetness gush from her throat.

The ground she hit felt dampened, as if anticipating her fall. Sound became muffled, and her vision fuzzy as detail gave way to shapes. She was shifted from the green mist that was grass towards the black blur that was the sky.

Slowly, her eyes found themselves drawn towards the glaring rays of the moon.

For a moment, she thought she heard her own name.


	24. O Death

**So, idk how many of you guys are still actually reading this story after my nearly year long hiatus, but if you are than I admire your dedication. Maybe drop down a comment for old time's sake. I do plan on finally finishing this story by the end of the year and probably starting into the next installment.**

Harry awoke in the hospital wing as if from a dream, not remember much of the details, but the ending stood out loud and clear.

The Stag

His father.

But any sense of comfort this memory could have given him was quickly torn away when the new hit him.

Sirius was captured, and Pettigrew had gotten away.

And no matter what he, Hermione, or Ron said, no one would believe them. Not the minister, not Madame Pomphrey, and if Dumbledore believed them, he wasn't coming to their defense. In fact, he looked incredibly grim, hands clasped tightly at his stomach.

Harry's heart was pounding, no one understood what they meant. Suddenly an idea popped into his head.

"Snape!" He shouted, calling all attention to himself. "Ask Professor Snape, he was there. He saw Pettigrew."

Hermione's face paled and she hesitantly knelt by Harry's bed. "Harry…" she began.

"He saw everything, he'll tell you."

"Harry" Hermione grabbed his hand. "I…" she blinked hard, flashes of the event still playing in her mind. "I don't think Professor Snape is going to doing much talking…"

"What?" Harry frowned. "Why, I don't…"

He trailed off as the doors of the Hospital wing swung open, stopping on their hinges with a sinister echo.

Every soul fell silent as, slowly Hagrid lumbered in with his head hung lowly, sober as a judge.

In his arm, he cradled a limp cargo, covered modestly in a white sheet stained with crimson. From the end of the sheet, Harry spied the edges of a pair of feet, pale and white, and one of them missing a shoe so to bare the toes and heel to the night air.

Harry's breath caught in his throat as memories came flooding back and the reality of the situation washed over him. Professor Snape trudged in just behind Hagrid, his head hung just as low and his black hair curtaining his face from view. For a moment he seemed to float over the floor, like the specter of death itself.

Hermione let out a small sob, covering her mouth and looking away from the sight. But her noise drew the attention of Snape, who, slowly, looked up at them and looked over them like a phantom. His face was drawn and white, and his eyes, though tinged with red, were completely blank. That changed the moment his eyes fell on Dumbledore however, in that instant they were full of venom, and his face drew back tighter in a rage that last but a few moments, before snuffing out weakly and drawing back into itself like a black hole.

After that pause, he followed Hagrid once more. Madame Pomphrey drew a privacy curtain around the bed at the furthest end of the hospital wing and by the light of the window they watched the shadow of Hagrid gingerly lay the form on the bed. Madame Pomphrey promptly unwrapped her from the makeshift shroud and carefully pulled the clean linen over her face fully before carrying the blood-stained sheets out of sight. Hagrid lingered a moment, but soon the sound of his monstrous sobs became too much, and the nurse saw him out of the wing.

Through the whole thing, Severus did not make a single sound.

"Children" The Minister, Cornelius Fudge, addressed them in a low voice that was clearly trying to be discrete but failing. "I hope you now understand the seriousness of this matter. Not only have we been unable to track down your professor after the attack, but a woman has died tonight."

The trio nodded solemnly.

"Now I know you've been under a tremendous tonight, and you have ideas about what you saw or _think_ you saw. But please…" he glanced down the aisle at the curtained off area. "Out of respect, try not to turn this into a circus with wild stories."

"Thank you, Mr. Minister." The Headmaster nodded in agreement. "If you don't mind, I think it's best if we let these youngsters get some much-needed rest. They're been through a lot this evening."

"Yes, well" The minister sniffed and shook his head again. "Bad business Albus, very bad… _but"_ he raised his finger and wagged it in the air. "We caught Black. So, the evening was not all lost, was it…"

Albus looked down the aisle to the curtain, peering at the faint shadow of a man sitting behind it in utter silence.

"I'm afraid Mr. Minister, that all depends on whom you ask."

The minister followed his gaze and nodded uncomfortably. "Good evening."

"Good evening Minister."

After the man had left, Albus looked back down the hall and sighed. "Children, if you will give me a moment before we talk."

"Of course." Hermione nodded, and watched him disappear behind the curtain.

Albus looked down on Severus in silence for a moment before taking a seat in the chair the man neglected to use, opting to simply hover over Veronica like a ghost.

"Severus, please sit. You've had a long night."

The Potions master didn't respond.

"I know what she meant to you."

"Do you?" Severus cut in. "Or is that just something you're saying to get me to leave?"

Albus fell silent for a moment, adjusting himself to Severus's curtness, which was even more venomous than usual.

"I am sorry, Severus."

"Are you going to do anything about it?"

"Pardon?"

Severus looked at him fully now, the darkness under his eyes fully on display. "19 years ago, a student was nearly killed by a werewolf in that exact spot. And you did nothing, said nothing…" he knelt down so he was looking Albus dead in the eyes. "Tell me, does a good woman's _death_ spur you to action, or will it take more to open those _blind eyes of yours_?"

Albus held his breath before patiently standing and looking over Veronica's body. For a moment ignoring Severus's presence, he pulled back the sheet to reveal her face and winced. The left half of her face was marred with claw marks, but it did not compare to the hell show that was her throat. Muscle and tendons fully exposed, he made a note to have a mortician come quickly to tend to that before the girl's family came to take her body.

Severus looked away, unable to stomach the sight.

"Go to bed Severus." Albus insisted in a tone that told him it wasn't up for debate, "Or take a walk, or just get out of this room. Looking at her won't bring her back, and it certainly won't ease your heart."

Severus frowned and took the edge of the sheet, pulling up over her neck as if to preserve her dignity. He paused a moment, taking in one last look of her face, before covering it again and stepping back.

"Deal with this Albus." He demanded darkly, "Or I will."

With that he left the hospital wing, not giving the children a second glance as he passed.

At the sound of the door closing fully, Albus stood up quickly and turned to Harry and Hermione with a serious look in his eye.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger. What I'm about to tell you is of the utmost importance, so listen carefully."

"We're listening headmaster." Harry stood quickly.

"Miss. Granger, do you still have the Time Turner granted to you by Professor McGonagall?"

Hermione nodded and left under her jumper to pull out the artifact.

"Very good, now here's what you're going to do…"

Severus didn't sleep.

How could he when every time he closed his eyes, he saw her laying cold on the ground? Dead before she even knew what was happening.

Why did she have to come?  
Why couldn't he have noticed she was there before running out of the damn hole?

Why didn't he pull her out of the way?

He had had to leave her behind when he collected Black and Potter from the lake and taken them all back to the castle. He couldn't stop thinking of her body just laying there in the moonlight, cold and alone.

What if she knew he had left her there? An unwanted part of his brain asked. The thought ate at his heart, despite the logical part of his brain telling him no. No, a bite like that?

She was dead before she hit the ground.

Sitting in the library, Severus found a familiar corner where he could hide as a student and settled into it alone.

 _"_ _I saw it and thought of you_ _"_

 _"_ _I am proud enough saying that I've_ _met_ _someone like you, let alone people thinking we're sleeping together"_

 _"_ _If you weren't such a guard dog, then who knows where I'd be?"_

 _"_ _I know you're still scared. But you don't have to be, not around me anyways."_

Severus hadn't cried in nearly 13 years.

And tonight would not change that.

As much as he wanted to cry, something stopped him. Like some kind of barricade within him that wouldn't allow it.

All he felt now was painfully numb.

Like when you're put under for surgery, but don't fully go down, so you're left groggy but fully aware of the hands fiddling around in your wounds, but unable to do anything to prevent it.

As much as he was in pain, another part of him had resigned itself to fate.

This is what he was meant to be.

Unhappy.

Tormented.

And alone.

He had been a fool to hope, even for a minute, that the universe would allow him to be anything but.

He blinked a moment.

Her necklace was still out there.

It was a silly thing to worry about, but it had been torn off when…

Severus stood slowly, almost robotically and slipped out of the castle in silence, knowing no one would be around to stop him.

The night was still as a tomb, no breeze, no sound.

The Whomping Willow stood as if nothing had happened.

The full moon's ray lit his way as he scavenged the ground until he spotted the glint of pearl under a clump of dirt and grass.

Picking it up carefully, Severus sat on the ground against the tree and flipped it over in his hands. The mother of pearl facing was slightly crusted with brownish blood, and the cord was cut was the sharpness of claws.

Severus drew his wand calmly and leaned against the tree' trunk, his legs bent tensely. His eyes scanned the forest line for any movement.

"Here I am Lupin." He whispered as he tucked the necklace into his pocket, still debating whether he would actually put up much of a fight but was determine that the werewolf would leave its fair share of blood on the ground.

"Come finish what you started."


	25. A Brighter Future

**Spacing out chapters to keep a regular update schedule like the experienced writer I am? I think not. Also shout out to all my readers who have been around since Worker Bee, I loved reading your comments and I missed you guys so much!**

 **You know me, I never leave a cliffhanger hang for very long, and once I write it there's no point in not posting it. Now have another chapter on me.**

"On my mark…one… two" Veronica's grip tightened on her wand…"Three!"

"There you are!"

Veronica was blinded momentarily by a sudden force plowing into her side, clearly not noticing she was there. Her wand knocked to the ground, Veronica shook her head and scrambled up.

"Severus, dammit!" She swore and turned back towards Lupin.

For a split second, Veronica's eyes met the blacked-out pupils of the werewolf and in that second, she searched for any spark, any flicker of recognition or humanity remaining. But as the beast lunged at the group, and she shoved herself between Severus's back and the approaching maw, she found none.

Nor did she find any when she felt the harsh burn of claws digging onto her shoulder and face.

Veronica tensed up, preparing for the worst until Lupin froze, his ears flicking up at attention.

Off in the distance, a faint howl could be heard beyond the tree line. Lupin responded to the call without hesitation, throwing Veronica to the ground and letting out a spine-chilling howl before running off towards the tree line, tailed by Sirius in the form of a black dog.

"Potter, Come back here!" Severus bellowed, missing the boy's arm by an inch as he ran off after the two, calling for Sirius.

Severus nearly darted after him but stopped when Hermione called out to him.

"Professor!" She cried, kneeling by Veronica's side. Veronica was covering the left side of her face and trembling from pain and fear.

Her face was in agony.

"Veronica!" Severus dropped any formality and lunged for her, grabbing her arms. "Are you okay? Let me see it. Let me see."

Veronica only lowered her arm for a second, but it was enough for the three to see the gruesome mess that the claws had left of her left eye and cheek. Crimson blood poured out of the wound and obstructed her vison horribly, while making her light headed. Conflicted over what to do, Severus grabbed her out and hushed her quickly.

"Can you walk?"

"I-I think so." She nodded, leaning on him as she pulled herself up and tried to pull herself together. "Harry… We have to… Oh _God_ it _hurts!_ "

"I will get Potter, you have to get to the castle" Severus insisted.

Veronica looked up at him with fearful tears in her eyes and it nearly killed him. But they had to get it together if they were going to make it out alive.

"Hey, look at me." Severus made her look his dead in the eye, putting on the same face stern he would give a student who wasn't following directions. "You can do this, you're going to be okay. Do you hear? Take the children, they need you right now."

Veronica nodded, the pain driving her near tears but using her good eye to gaze at Hermione and Ron.

Somehow, Severus's words had convinced her. He was right, she was fine. The blood wasn't so bad, it just looked it. She was fine, everything was going to be okay.

"Let's go." She agreed. "Miss. Granger, do you know the Levicorpus charm?"

"Yes ma'am" Hermione nodded.

"I will need you to use that you Mr. Weasley there. I'm afraid I can't hold off the bleeding and help him at the same time."

Hermione nodded and turned to Ron.

"Do you trust me?"

Ron's eyes widened but he nodded.

Veronica got them all back to the castle and into the hospital wing just as Dumbledore entered the corridor.

"Madame Largo!"

"Headmaster!" Veronica heard his voice and stumbled towards him. "Something awful has happened."

The wounds were not deep, and with a painful combination of Silver and Dittany Madame Pomphrey was able to seal the claw marks and clean the wounds as fast as she could, saving Veronica's left eye in the nick of time.

"It's not so bad my dear, but you're very very lucky you got here when you did. You had lost a lot of blood" the nurse assured her, tipping a vial of pain potion down Veronica's throat. "now, tell us what happened."

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure." Veronica felt at the gauze wrappings over half of her face. "The children ran after Weasley's pet rat, and I asked Remus to go get them. Then Severus told me that Remus forgot to take his potion, and he ran after them and told me to try and find Dumbledore. But I couldn't find him any where and I saw them in the dark, so I thought everything was okay. But it wasn't, the children were with Lupin and Sirius Black."

"Was he holding them hostage?"" Madame Pomphrey asked, "and what Potion was Remus supposed to take, I'm afraid I don't understand."

"I think Veronica may be a bit confused" Dumbledore stated, and Veronica looked at him in shock. "That hit to the head must have rattled your memories."

"But sir, Severus said that you would understand." Veronica protested. "Because you knew about Remus. And- "

"I think perhaps it would be prudent to allow Madame Largo to rest." Madame Pomphrey suggested, moving to her medicine cabinet and pulling out a slender vial. "Here dear."

"I don't need to sleep!" Veronica insisted, wincing at the over exertion of her face muscles. "I know what I saw, headmaster please I- Ow!"

"Sh sh sh, hush now." Madame Pomphrey expertly pricked Veronica with a syringe full of sedative, which acted nearly impossibly fast. "Just focus on healing now."

Veronica didn't know how long she had been out, but she knew it was a warm presence that woke her up with weight next to her on the hospital cot.

"Shh, don't talk."

She blinked in the light and shook her head. "Severus?"

"They said the scratches weren't so deep. You'll be okay." Severus reached down to brush back her hair. "How do you feel?"

"Hurts."

"I know, that will go away." He whispered in a tone that was almost too gentle to belong to him. But he couldn't help it, before returning to the castle he hadn't known if she would pull through or not. She had put on a brave face outside, yes; but that was because he had made her for the for the sake of the children.

It was clear that she had been terrified and in agony, and he couldn't take it.

"Do you want me to ask Madame Pomphrey for another pain potion?"

Veronica frowned and shook her head. "Didn't need…" She trailed off, the potion still fogging her mind.

"Need what?"

"Sedated. Didn't need to be…sedated." She struggled out and Severus frowned. He had been told she had passed out from the blood.

"Why would they sedate you?" He knelt closer to her face, getting the feeling this wasn't a conversation he wanted over heard.

"Dumbledore" She breathed, the weight on her eyelids nearly overwhelming. "Remus…couldn't talk about…didn't believe me."

"Sh, okay. Okay." Severus nodded, a hot ball of rage rising in his stomach. "Don't worry about it now."

"Black" She whimpered. "Did you…"

"No" Severus gritted his teeth. "He got away. I don't know how, but he did." He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers. "Just sleep. I'll be right back."

Veronica nodded slowly, allowing the potion to reclaim her body as Severus stood up and contained a growl.

That son of a bitch.

First, he humiliated him by telling the minister in front of everyone that _he_ was confused.

And he sedated a woman to keep the truth from coming out.

Severus was good at lies, He crafted them like some people craft fine pottery or meals. But this was one lie that had, in his opinion, lasted for far too long, and caused far too much damage. The Minister thought that Severus was insane, but Snape knew someone with even more influence that _would_ believe him.

Under cover of darkness, Severus found himself in the owlery with a short but enlightening letter to be received before the sun could rise.

Dumbledore could lie in the face of everyone and anyone, but not this time.

Severus watched the school owl fly off into the night.

No, Dumbledore would not get away with it again.

 ** _The Next Morning_**

 _WEREWOLF ATTACK AT HOGWARTS: STUDENTS ENDANGERED, AND SIRIUS BLACK AIDED BY TEACHER_

The front page of the Daily Prophet said it all.

Lucius Malfoy may have been a pain, but he was also a valuable asset with his hand in just about every cookie jar you could think of. Including connections at the Daily Prophet. Severus had snuck him in without detection, a feat not easily accomplished by any means, and one look at Veronica's face and Mr. Weasley incapacitated in bed was enough to blow the top off the whole ordeal.

Of course, Certain details were ignored, including the presence of Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black's innocence. But Severus wasn't all that eager to see that on the front page anyway. Of course, Severus hadn't been named, absolutely not.

It was an anonymous source, of course.

Dumbledore, however, was not having it. Severus could wave goodbye to any chance at the Defense position now, even thought it was wide open.

"I hope you're pleased with yourself."

"I am"

"It was a very petty thing you did."

"He tore a woman's face off, Albus. And you were going to let him stay." Severus scoffed. "I did what was right for the safety of this school. He forgot his potion, he is responsible for the consequences."

Albus sniffed and shook his head. "You shouldn't have undermined me like that."

"Maybe if you stopped regularly putting students in danger, I wouldn't have to."

" _I_ am headmaster at Hogwarts, Severus!" Albus reminded him harshly. "I ought to throw you out of this school right now."

"Are you?" Severus arched a brow challengingly. "Is that supposed to be a threat or are you actually laboring under the delusion that I like my job?"

Albus sat at his desk and scratched his beard. "Why don't you resign if you're so miserable?"

"You know why." Severus retorted. "This is the only place I can make sure he doesn't get killed."

Albus sighed and rubbed his temples. "Have you told Veronica the truth yet?"

"Yes, I think she knew most of it, at least a little bit." Severus leaned back in the seat. "Sirius Black is innocent, Peter Pettigrew is unfortunately alive and well, and Remus Lupin in a werewolf." He eyed the old man critically. "Tell me, if you had known they were going to be so much trouble as adults, would you have coddled them so much as students?"

"Oh, don't start with me, Severus." Albus groaned.

"Very well," Severus conceded and stood up, "I'll stick pins some other time then. In the mean time I have somewhere to be."

"Where's that?" Albus inquired and Severus replied without turning around.

"No concern of yours."

"Are you ready?"

Veronica sat on the edge of the hospital cot and nodded eagerly, ready to finally no longer wear bandages over her healing wounds.

"Okay" Madame Pomphrey snipped a pair of small silver scissors, "here we go then."

The bandages unwound easily, and the gauze pads unpeeled without any trouble. That's to several rounds of silver and dittany, the wounds were fully closed and scarred over. Unfortunately, there was no way to ever cover that scars themselves. Werewolf related injuries weren't like non-magical ones, the scars didn't fade.

"How are they?" She asked immediately.

"The real question is how do you feel?" Madame Pomphrey corrected her, scoffing at the vanity of the young.

"I'm fine, fine, honestly" Veronica rolled her eyes. "I'm just glad he missed my eye, I don't think I'd have fancied being half blind for the rest of my life." She stood up and searched high and low for some kind of mirror before her eyes landed on Severus entering casually.

"Severus!" She smiled and rushed him eagerly. "What do you think?"

Severus pauses a moment, taking in the jagged lines that ran over her eye, across her cheek and brow, and along her jaw. One stretched as far as her lower lip and has split it in two until Madame Pomphrey expertly healed it. For a moment, for some reason, he felt an indescribable rush of relief. As if before he had entered the hall, he had thought she wouldn't be there, and he was left alone.

Part of him wanted to hug her closer to him than was possible, tight enough that he'd never have to worry about her like that again.

"How do you feel?" He countered cooling, arms staunching at his sides. Veronica growled.

" _Fine_." She whined. "But seriously, everyone is avoiding the question, am I heinously deformed or something?"

Severus let out a short laughed. "No, you're not deformed." He shook his head incredulously, "Why would you ask something like that?"

Veronica shrugged casually and turned to the nurse. "Madame Pomphrey, may I speak to Severus alone a moment, please?"

"Of course." Madame Pomphrey stood up and disappeared down the long hall to given them some privacy.

"I heard about what happened with Remus…" Veronica began slowly, and Severus felt a knot in his throat.

Would she be angry?

"Was it you?"

Severus paused a moment before nodding. "It was for the best."

"I know" Veronica agreed, taking Severus aback a moment.

"I thought you two were friends." Severus reminded her, and Veronica nodded.

"We are, we are." She assured him, "but after what happened…Severus I know that he can't stay here. But I don't want him to leave without seeing him first."

"B- "

"Severus" Veronica took his hands tightly. "Please. Where is he?"

Severus sighed, not covering his disapproving scowl, "He should still be packing up his office."

Veronica smiled and stood on her toes, kissing the corner of his mouth sweetly, "Thank you, Severus. I'll be right back I swear."

She left the hospital wing quickly and made for the Defense classroom. Part of her wondered if Remus would even want to see her, but she would find out soon enough.

"Remus?" she called, "Remus are you still here?"

There was a rumble from the back corner were the office was and Veronica poked her head in to see Remus standing among trunks and boxes. "Remus?"

Remus looked up at the door then looked away quickly. "You shouldn't be here."

"Why? Is the moon still out?" She half joked, but it didn't land well. "Remus please, I know you didn't mean to hurt me. And you'd never hurt the children." She drew closer to him and sat on top of one of the trunks. "Severus explained everything to me."

"Oh? Did he?" Remus asked with a hint of bitterness.

"Yes, And I know why he hates you, but like I told him I don't think you can accurately judge a person by their past." Veronica informed him sternly.

Remus looked up in surprise. "Severus told you about…that?" He swallowed.

"No…someone else told me." Veronica crossed her arms. "And I don't approve of it, in fact I think it's very rotten and hateful."

Remus winced, so Veronica softened her tone.

"But I once learned something about Severus that was just as hateful and rotten as all that. And I told him the same thing I told you. You're both adults now, you're men." Veronica took his hand comfortingly. "I just came to say that you don't have to torture yourself over what happened Remus, it's as good as forgotten as far as I'm concerned. We're still friends."

Veronica sighed and stood up, "And if you ever need some help, a job, a place to stay. I would be happy to try and help you."

Remus smiled and tightened his grip on her hand. "Thank you, Veronica, you really are a remarkable woman."

Veronica blushed and looked down at her shoes.

"I can see why Severus is so fond of you, anyone would be."

Veronica looked up at him and let go of his hand. "Keep in touch Remus and take care of yourself."

She turned to leave, and Remus felt his heard jerk in his chest.

"Veronica, wait!"

"Yes?"

She turned, and Remus loomed over her a moment before hugging her tightly and during his face into her neck.

"Thank you so much." He whispered. "I thought I had lost all of my friends in this world. I'm so glad I found you."

Veronica froze then hugged him back tightly. "I'm not going anywhere Remus, I promise." She replied, turning before kissing his forehead chastely. "I'm only an owl away, remember that."

Remus let her go and wiped a few tears from his face, "I will. Goodbye Veronica."

"Goodbye Remus, I'll miss you." She smiled at him sadly and slipped out of the office, leaving Remus to finish packing.

"Well?" Severus pounced on her as soon as she entered the hospital wing again. "What did he say? What did _you_ say? Wh- "

Veronica rolled her eyes and turned on her heel to face his swiftly, grabbing him by the front of his robes to pull him to the level before planting a kiss on him so hard for a second it knocked the wind out of him.

For a second Severus seemed to try and still talk through the kiss before submitting and letting it happen willingly, if not eagerly. Almost instinctively, he wrapped his arm around her waist tightly and let the other one find her cheek. This kiss, they both silently agreed, kicked Severus's bashful dungeon kiss in the rear.

"Blimey!"

They broke off to glance behind them and spy Ron Weasley, still laid up with a broken leg, gawking at them in both horror and surprise.

"How many points for Gryffindor would it take for you to have never seen this, Weasely?" Severus bargained with a fierce glint in his eye.

To the surprise of the entire student body, Ron Weasely somehow became the top point earner in Gryffindor that year, winning the House Cup by a landslide.

How he did it, however, he would take to his grave.


	26. Southern Hospitality

**_The story ain't over yet, kiddos. Don't you know the best adventures never actually happen at Hogwarts?_**

 _June 30_ _th_

"Are you sure you have everything you need?" Veronica looked over their luggage again, afraid that they were traveling too light. "We'll be there for the whole summer until the start of next term."

"Darling, you've been over those bags five times in the past two hours." Severus sighed, checking the wall clock at a glance. "Now come on, we booked the Portkey for 5 am and it takes about an hour or so to walk there.

"Okay, okay, okay, let's get this show on the road then." Veronica picked up her suitcases.

They would be staying with Veronica's aunt Julia in the States while Severus conducted research with her brother in law, Jim, in the swamps, and Veronica helped tend to her cousin's wedding. She was still reluctant to go, But Severus assured her that if she wanted to return early, he could simply get bitten by an alligator and they could cut the visit short.

But still, Veronica felt sick to her stomach.

She wouldn't tell Severus exactly _why_ she hated going so much, and he even told her she wasn't obligated to go at all, but she insisted.

"For Lora Lee's sake, I have to go." Veronica talk herself firmly. "I can do this. I'm not thirteen anymore."

The Portkey agency had given them directions to their designated portkey about five kilometers outside of Cokesworth in the middle of a field. Portkeys were always semi-remote to ensure no muggles found them, and this one happened to be a large stone with an inscription carved on it someone in the middle of an abandoned field. It was still dark out, so they could get through the field without people wondering about their luggage, but they stumbled over each other under their eyes adjusted to the dark.

"Now, it's not too late for you to go back." Severus reminded her, "Seriously, it'll be awkward, but I can deal with you family without you."

"No." Veronica shook her head. "I'm going. Just promise me that you'll stay with me when you can."

Severus smiled a little. "Of course. I'll be there."

"Okay" Veronica used her wand to light the area around them. "The Portkey should be around here somewhere. A big rock with an inscription."

"of course, they couldn't be a little more specific as to the location." Severus grumbled. "a kilometer and a half of open field and all they say in the middle? Who do they think they're kidding?"

"I think I found it." Veronica circled a tall, jagged boulder with a bold P seemingly burnt into it. "Ready?"

Severus nodded and made sure he had a tight hold on both his cases as Veronica grabbed hers.

"Three, two, one, go." She counted off and they both touched the portkey, the air getting knocked out of them as they were whisked off in a furious whirlwind. "They said approximately five seconds." Veronica yelled over the wind. "That means we should be over the house in three…two…one…Let go!"

The landing was not soft, they had miscalculated their drop by about ten yards and tumbled down a steep hill instead on landing in the back garden as planned.

"Oh God." Veronica groaned, rolling onto her stomach. "I always hated that drop."

"Well, I'll be blessed." A low, sultry voice called over them, making the duo look up in the dark. "My Baby girl's come home!"

Veronica smiled and tried to pull herself up until a pair of strong, soft arms hauled her to her feet and into a vice like embrace.

"I've missed you so much, Honey. And shame on you for not writing, after I spent those years feeding you and putting a roof over your head!"

"Hi Aunt Julia." Veronica croaked, "I missed you to."

Aunt Julia was a mountain of a woman, standing 6'5 and wide as a wall. Her hair was sunny blonde and was currently piled on top of her head in a beehive. Her face was slack with age, but she smiled with an aura of youth.

"And _who_ is this young man?" Aunt Julia dropped Veronica and looked over Severus in a way that was both welcoming and sinister.

"I-I uh…"

"This is Severus Snape. He's my…" Veronica cut off a moment, "Boyfriend?" She offered hesitantly, looking up at Severus for confirmation.

"Oh uh." Severus sputtered again, "I uh, I supposed you could call it that I mean… we did share a house for a few days, and uh…"

"A new _beau_!" Aunt Julia squealed, taking Severus's hand tightly in her own and shaking it. "Oh Honey, I'm so happy for you, it's about time you got back on the saddle. Well you just bring your bags inside and get yourself comfortable. Your uncle's dead asleep right now, so don't even worry about waking him."

Severus gathered himself after the onslaught of greetings and looked up at the house they had landed behind, thoroughly in shock.

Sure, Veronica had mentioned her father's family had money, but this was baffling. The planation house _huge._ Thought it was only two stories tall plus high, domed roof, it was wide and encircled by a continuous porch balcony around the second floor. The garden, which Severus at first thought was a small farm, seemed to grow enough food to feed an army.

"You two must be famished!" Julia let them into the house quickly, into a kitchen that was surprisingly modest compared to the grand exterior.

"Actually, we'd just woken up" Veronica looked around as they entered through the kitchen door. "I always forget about the time difference, I guess it's still late tomorrow here."

"Well Honey, why don't I just show you to your room and you two might get a few more hours of shut eye before the morning."

"We'll see." Veronica nodded. "I am still a little tired."

"Here, I'll take your bags." Aunt Julia led them to the stair case and clapped her hands loudly. On command, the cases levitated off the ground and formed a single file line up the steps. "Just this way. Your sister and her husband should be coming in the morning, so it'll be just like old times."

"Uh huh." Veronica agreed uneasily. "Is uh…is Calvin and Lora Lee here?"

"No, they don't live far. Just up the road a spell. They drop by every so often, but Lora Lee is just so excited that you decided to come." Aunt Julia chattered on like a jay bird all the way up the stairs until they reached a hallway lined with doors. "It's an awful shame your parents didn't want to come, I tried to tell your father there were no hard feelings after everything, but of course you know all that. If there was, I wouldn't have spent all those years keeping an eye on you for him during your school years."

"I thought you went to a boarding school in Massachusetts." Severus pointed out and Veronica shook her head.

"It wasn't a boarding school, it was just located in an old boarding school that had been shut down. It was much more like a public school where you go home at the end of the day, parents would come pick up the kids, or a ride would be provided if the student was a muggle born."

"Muggle? Oh, you mean No-Maj." Aunt Julia laughed and stopped by the door at the end of the hall, "Darlin' you've been gone for too long, I can hardly understand you anymore. Well, here you are." She pushed open the door and motioned for them to enter.

"Now if y'all need anything you just holler at me, alright?" She leaned in the door way and eyed them expectantly in a way that made Severus extremely uncomfortable.

"We will Aunt Julia, thank you. "

After the door closed Veronica turned to Severus with a knowing look on her face. "I know it's a lot for 5 in the morning."

"She seems…nice." Severus said slowly. "Very…"

"Talkative?" Veronica smiled nostalgically, "That's that southern hospitality they're always going on about. But don't worry, I'll just tell them you're shy and they'll go easy on you."

Severus nodded and looked around, the room was large but simply made up.

"Only one bed, huh?" He noted knowingly. "They must have a lot of faith in you."

"If only" Veronica scoffed, moving to sit on the edge of the bed "That just means they like you. I remember I brought Vince here once before we got married. They made us sleep on different floors on opposite sides of the house." She looked up suddenly, "Not because he was black, mind you. That's not a prejudice well help among witches and wizards here. It was because he was a muggle, that prejudice…well-" she sighed. "it hasn't evolved all that much."

"Yikes" Severus winced, for a moment thinking back to a short period of time where he may have fit right in here. "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault" Veronica nodded. "You'll like Jimmy though, and you probably won't be around for most of the drama anyways."

"What about you?" Severus sat next to her closer than he would have dared before, "You don't seem all that eager about it."

Veronica rubbed his leg slightly before squeezing her hand, "I'll be fine, it's just three more days before the wedding. And if I can't stand any more after that, then I'll break down and find us a hotel to stay in for the rest of the trip, so you can keep working in the swamps with Jim."

Severus grimaced but nodded all the same. "You know I'll cover half."

"I know you will" Veronica laughed, "I'm still a little tired. Are you comfortable sharing a bed? If not, I can ask Aunt Julia if we can borrow a second room."

Severus was torn, the idea of sharing a bed was bordering on terrifying. However, did he _really_ want to go through all that with Aunt Julia?

"I mean, if you're okay with it I don't see why not." He said slowly, trying to convince himself with every syllable.

"You're a real sport." Veronica grinned teasingly as she slipped off her coat and shoes and put them in the closet. "are you going to join me?"

"No actually, I think I'm going to go over that research file your brother in law sent me. Just to refresh myself."

"Alright well, don't wear yourself out. You'll get jetlagged." Veronica bit her lip and glanced at her trunk. "Do you mind turning around so I can change. It's going to get hot soon, and I don't want to wake up roasting."

"I'll be fine." Severus scoffed and turned his back to her respectfully. "How hot does it get here anyway? I know you told me to pack lighter clothes, but it can't be that bad, right?"

"Well, down here it gets about 32*C during the day time."

"Whoa." Severus sucked in a breath, having forgotten for a moment how far south they were.

"It takes some getting used to. But don't worry, the house has cooling and I won't let you die of heat stroke." Veronica kissed his temple from behind after slipping into a loose tank top and shorts.

"Oh, that's very kind of you. Honestly." Severus snickered as she flopped onto the bed and rolled over on her side. "Goodnight again."

"Night." She mumbled back, already half asleep.

Severus shook his head with a sigh and pulled out the brief research summary from his bag, not wanting to go into this blind.


	27. Calvin

**So I was thinking of having this part of the story as it's own story, but what the hell? Just consider this Honey Bee pt.2: The Extended Director's Cut.**

"I told you so."

Veronica shook her head with a smile when she woke up to Severus dead asleep next to her in the bed. She sat up with a yawn and looked round, the sunshine was shining brightly through the window and illuminated the small particles of dust in the air. Aunt Julia must have let them sleep in.

"Oh well" Veronica shrugged, "Better get them all handled before he wakes up." Veronica stripped with her back to Severus, confident he wouldn't wake up in the time it took her to change and slipped into a light sun dress she had bought multiple of for the trip. Nothing she had in her wardrobe in London would have been proper for the blazing bayou heat. She hoped Severus had listened to her advice about packing light clothes, but honestly, she doubted it.

Using a scrap of paper from his notebook, Veronica left him a note that she had gone down stairs before leaving and locking the door behind her.

"Well Good morning, Sunshine." Aunt Julia looked up from the pot she was boiling something in. "Don't you look pretty today."

"Thanks Aunt Julia." Veronica laughed and sat in one of the tall island chairs across from her. "is anyone else up yet?"

"Your uncle is out front scoping out the yard for the ceremony." Aunt Julia shrugged. "You know how he is."

"Yeah." Veronica snickered, remembering all then wild renovations her Uncle Thaddeus would come up with when she was young.

Aunt Julia smiled and began to pour her a cup of coffee before glancing up and nearly dropping the pitcher.

"Why Darlin! Your _face!"_

Veronica reached up and touched her still fresh scars, "Oh, you hadn't noticed?"

"No, I hadn't noticed! What happened to you?!" Julia pulled up the chair next to her and took Veronica's face in her hands. "Oooh, you always had the sweetest little lips." She cooed sadly as she ran her thumb over Veronica's lower lip, which had been cut in two and healed together again, leaving a stark white scar through the pink of her lip.

"It's not that bad…is it?" Veronica leaned out of her grasp hesitantly.

"Oh of course not sweetheart." Julia shook her head insistently. "But still…if you ever want them fixed, I can refer you to a surgeon to…you know."

"I think I'll be okay" Veronica mumbled and took a sip of the coffee, half to wake her up and half to cover her lips.

"Is that my sweet little niece I hear?" A heavy baritone voice called from the other end of the house.

"Uncle Thaddeus!" Veronica beamed and set her coffee aside before darting through the house and towards the front door where her uncle was peeling off his work boots. He was a man of average height and yet still seemed to be a stretched-out version of a normal person. He didn't look like the rest of the family, being only distantly related. Still, in the eyes of the family, it was better than no relation at all.

He rubbed his bald head happily before opening his arms to scoop up Veronica, literally lifting her up off the ground. "Look at you, you haven't gained an ounce since you graduated."

"Stop!" Veronica laughed loudly, "Put me down!"

"Oh alright." Thaddeus sat her down carefully and looked up her and down. "Got some new scars though, where did those come from?"

"Dog attack." Veronica lied. "I'm fine."

"We heard stories from your sister about you working at a school now? How's that going?" Thaddeus wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they entered a gargantuan parlor.

"It's been…interesting." Veronica said slowly. "But I've made a lot of great connections, have you seen my books?"

"Of course, I have." Thaddeus laughed, "I have your father ship one over every time one comes out."

"Thaddeus…" Julia sang, peering in at them. "Ask your niece about the gentleman up in her bedroom."

"I beg your pardon?" Thaddeus laughed in surprise. " _who_ is in my house?"

"It's not a big deal." Veronica brushed it over awkwardly. "We've just started taking things beyond friendship, and I don't want things to get weird while we're over here, so please." She looked at Julia specifically. "Don't make a big deal out of it."

"I'm just glad you picked a wizard this time." Julia sniffed. "Not like that other one…what was his name."

"Please don't talk about Vincent." Veronica snapped discordantly before clearing her throat. "I know you didn't like him, but he was my husband…so please don't- "

"We understand honey." Julia nodded sympathetically. "My lips are sealed. We're going to have a good time these next few months."

"Thank you" Veronica smiled a little. "are Rachel and Jim here yet?"

"They should arrive any minute now." Julia looked out the window at the distance road. "Why don't you go wake up that man of yours and I'll make up some breakfast?"

"Mama?" Veronica froze at the sound of the front door closing and the familiar voice echoing through the halls. "Mama, you in here?"

"In here, Honey!" Julia called, a proud smile creeping across her face. "Come see who came to visit!"

Julia's hand kept Veronica from running up the stairs as the clunking of heavy shoes harkened down the hallway and into the doorway.

"Well I'll be…" Calvin ran a hand through his dark blonde waves and laughed. "Look who it is."

"Hi Calvin" Veronica swallowed, forcing herself to look up at him.

"Hiya Little Cuz." Calvin sauntered up to her and opened his arms. "Let me see you!"

Veronica stood up bashfully and Calvin scanned her up and down as if his blue eyes were search lights before pulling her in for a tight bear hug.

"Look at you! Still cute as a button on a Sunday dress" He shook with a belly full of laughter as he swayed back and forth with Veronica trapped between his arms.

"I uh- Thanks Calvin." Veronica wiggled a little, but Calvin ignored the hint before picking Veronica up suddenly, making her squeal in a way much different than she had when Uncle Thaddeus had picked her up

"Look, I can still carry you around to! Just like old times, ain't that right Sugar?"

"Yeah, just like old times Calvin, please put me down!" Veronica's voice trembled a little, half afraid her would drop her and even clinging to his neck and shoulders for support.

"Oh Alright, alright." The handsome man laughed and sat her back down. "Damn." He breathed and took a step back, looking her over once again. "Just a beautiful as ever. And look at these!" He touched her facial scars and Veronica flinched away, "I like'em, adds character."

"Pardon me?" Veronica whipped around and felt a wave of relief hit her. Severus stood awkwardly outside the doorway, fully dressed in a blue dress shirt and long pants, and still looking dead tired. "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting."

"Of course not!" Veronica pried herself away rom Calvin to rush to his side, even taking his arm firmly. "Darling, did you sleep well?"

Severus blinked, unsure how to answer considering she _never_ dressed him in such a… _domestic_ manner. "I uh…yes?" He watched her for any sort of hints, but she gave him none before leading him deeper into the room.

"Severus, I want you to meet my uncle Thaddeus." Veronica motioned, and Thaddeus stood up to shake Severus's hand.

"It's good to meet you, sir."

"And you as well." Thaddeus nodded and motioned to the blonde man, who still sported a Cheshire cat grin. "And this is my son, Calvin. The Groom to be."

"A marvelous pleasure to meet you sir." Calvin took full initiative and grabbing Severus's hand forcefully to shake it and getting unusually close for a stranger. Severus steeled himself against the unreadable look in Calvin's sapphire eyes and squeezed his hand just as hard in return. Of course, it wasn't as strong, Calvin had inherited his father's roguish good looks, but his mother's physical strength, even in long-sleeved shirt and trousers, you could see evident lean muscle under every inch of skin. The only thing Severus had on him was height, and even then, it was comparing a cornstalk to a pine tree.

"And you as well," Severus worked to keep the growl out of his voice, "and congratulations on your nuptials."

"Thank you." Calvin stepped back in an instant, bouncing on his feet a little as if he had suddenly grown very eager to do something. "That's a fine gal you've gotten yourself there, mister." He pointed at Veronica, who pulled herself closer to Severus.

Severus took note of this and instinctively wrapped his arm around her shoulders, her obvious discomfort making his grow protective.

"The finest." He agreed plainly.

For a moment Calvin's eyes flashed and Veronica's worry grew to dread. Calvin's smile grew wider than ever before he let out a sudden laugh that made just about everyone jump. "The finest." He chuckled and shook his head, "That's God Damn right. Say why don't you and the little lady come to my house for supper some time. Lora Lee's been dying to see Veronica again, she was so afraid you two weren't going to make it."

"That's nice of you Calvin, but uh…" Veronica fumbled for an excuse but bit her lips when Severus jumped in.

"We wouldn't want to be an imposition." Severus finished for her, "My schedule will likely be unpredictable enough with the work in the swamps. And with your wedding in just a few days." Severus flashed a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, "We wouldn't dream putting you through it."

Calvin smirked and shoved his hands into his pocket, sauntering up to the two of them with a grin. "We'll make time." He insisted before turning, "In the mean time! Pop!" Calvin clapped his father on the back, "What's this I hear from Mama about you tearing up that front yard for the wedding?"

The detour led Calvin and his father disappearing onto the grounds to discuss the logistics of fitting nearly 300 people on the lawn and Julia excused herself to go make breakfast for the family.

"Are you alright?" Severus whispered when they had all gone and Veronica nodded.

"You handled him so well" Veronica marveled. "I've never seen someone not back down from Calvin before."

"Yes, well…" Severus ran over the many narcissists he had dealt with over the course of his life. "I won't have to for long. Just a few more days, and he'll be on some honeymoon somewhere."

"Right" Veronica nodded, slowly feeling her courage returning. "Just a few more days."


	28. Into the Swamp ( Author's Thank You)

**_Hey guys! I'm really thankful for all you guys who have been reading along with me. Unfortunately, I'm feeling a pretty down today, so this may not be my best work but maybe the writing will make me feel better. Your happy comments and reviews are honestly a big part of why I'm still writing, to be perfectly frank. I know that sounds like a desperate plea for validation, but that's because it is, lol._**

 ** _Anyway, here's the next chapter, so be gentle._**

Severus couldn't name a time he had got on better or faster with a person than he had with James Edward Drake, affectionately known as Jim to most.

He was a strapping man a few years younger than his bride, and his youthful energy seemed to reignite Severus's own enthusiasm for field work.

"Just the man I've been dying to meet!" The fair-haired man shook Severus's hand enthusiastically. "Rachel's told me a lot about you, Professor."

"Just Severus will be fine." The potions master bit back a proud smirk, enjoying this unusual display of respect.

"Severus it is then. Veronica says you're the man to know when it comes to potions, developed a few yourself as well. Impressive stuff that is, I'm delighted to be working with you." Jim's tongue went a hundred miles a minute. Not just when he spoke about potions, but anything from sports to the weather, he had the cadence of a mouse on speed.

"How about you and I take a look at that boat this morning before it gets too hot. You haven't been down here before, have you?"

"Well No, I- "

"Get's hot as the Devil most days, but you won't have to worry about that much where we're going. Seminole Moss, that's what we're after, it only where the tree tops are thick enough to blot out the sunlight." Jim explained quickly. "So how about it?"

"I…what?" Severus blinked, head reeling.

"The boat, man! The boat."

"Oh! Right." Severus nodded, "Well better now than when the sun's overhead."

"Good man." Jim grinned broadly, "You go tell the girls, and I'll bring the car around." And with that, he was off.

Severus tracked down Veronica and her sister, Rachel, in the parlor. Veronica had slowly gotten accustomed once again to the hustle and bustle of the house she had called a second home for years. It was loud, it was intrusive, and it hadn't changed even one little bit.

"Veronica?"

"Uh-huh?" Veronica stood quickly when Severus popped his head in.

"Jim and I are going to go down to the boat before it gets too hot. I'll be back in a while, okay?"

"Okay Darling, be careful."

Rachel scoffed and shook her head. "Boy, he's really got you trained, huh?"

"What does that mean?" Veronica asked accusingly as her sister tossed her hair to the side.

"Nothing! Except that you jump up like a lapdog everything he comes into the room." Rachel laughed teasingly, making Veronica pout. "Oooh, don't be so sensitive. It's really adorable. I just think you're getting a little too deep, too early. That's all."

"Jim does that same thing, and you've been married for three years." Veronica pointed out.

"It's different with Jimmy, he's still such a boy." Rachel smiled fondly. "And I dote on him just as much, in different ways. I haven't seen your Severus show you half as much affection as you've shown him since we got here."

"Severus isn't an openly affectionate person, but I like that about him" Veronica defended the absent man and growing irritated with her sister's usual belittling of her life choices.

Rachel tilted her head knowingly and sighed. "Icky, you're my baby sister." Rachel moved to sit closer to Veronica, wrapping her arms around her shoulders in an awkward side hug. "I just want to see you happy and treated right."

"Severus _does_ treat me right." Veronica insisted. "He saved my life you know."

"Oh please" Rachel dropped her loving façade as quickly as she picked it up. "So, would any firefighter or policeman, I don't see you throwing yourself at any of them."

"Rachel please." Veronica grabbed her arm and turned to her sister. "I know you don't know what I see in Severus, not many people do. But please try to understand, he's not like anyone I've ever met. He's special." She smiled a little with a hint of pride. "He actually faced down Calvin without even blinking."

Rachel frowned and sat down her drink on the cut glass table. Slowly she took both Veronica's hands in hers. "You've seen him then?"

Veronica froze a moment before looking down.

"Yeah."

"Did he say anything?"

"Nothing…concerning." Veronica swallowed. "He acted as if nothing happened."

"Have you told Severus what happened?"

"No, he doesn't need to know."

"He does if Calvin pulls something." Rachel looked around before standing and rushing to the parlor door, leering out before pulling it shut to keep out eavesdroppers. "Veronica, you better than anyone knows what Calvin was like back then, the things he was willing to do." Rachel knelt by her younger sister. "You need to keep in mind that if Calvin _does_ do something. If he _hasn't_ changed. Severus could be in danger."

Veronica gasped and closed her eyes. "Don't say that."

"It's true, you know it."

Veronica's face grew hot and get out a shaky breath. "This was a mistake, I never should have come. I never should have seen Calvin."

"You didn't do it for you." Rachel grabbed her arms and shook Veronica slightly. "You did it for Lora Lee, remember that. We're both here for our friend, and nothing else. But if he does something, _anything,_ then I want you gone. Back across the ocean. Agreed?"

Veronica nodded, her shoulders slumped low.

"Oh Veronica." Rachel sighed, hugging her for real this time, and resting her cheek on her shoulder. "I promise. He's not going to hurt you again. I won't let him."

Veronica didn't say anything, only leaning into her sister quietly.

"Severus, this is Montgomery Whitefeather." Jim shook hands with an unusual looking man when the arrived on the edge of bayou in Jim's rented pickup. "Monty, I want you to meet my partner, Severus."

Monty's bright orange Hawaiian shirt was only out shone by the brightness of his teeth when he grinned at Severus knowingly. His thick handlebar mustache was carefully gelled into a cartoonish wiggle style like some kind of caricature, along with his thick brown hair that was practically tarred together with pomade. "How do you do sir?"

"Very well, thank you."

"And this is my nephew, Lin" Monty clapped a hand on the shoulder of a younger version on himself. Same tan skin and sharp, narrow features. The only differences were a distinct age difference, and the fact that Lin's hair was sensibly cut close to his head and he was lacking in any facial hair.

"Lin'll be tagging along on the boat today, if you guys don't mind."

"Not at all" Jim smiled and eyed the boat behind him. "Is that our girl?"

"Ah yes." Monty turned proudly and puffed his chest out a little. "The Marie Laveau. Fell free to climb aboard, boys."

Severus eyed the wide, flat boat cautiously, not having been on the water since his first year at Hogwarts and not all together eager to give it another try. But he could suck it up for the sake of research.

"None of those awful fan engines on this girl, no sir." Monty pushed them off from the muddy shore and into the shallows as he spoke. "Nothing a little swamp magic can't do better."

The bayou was a strange place, unlike anything Severus expected. The closest he'd encountered were the bogs of Ireland, but this was more lake than land. The Cyprus trees grew straight up out of the water and hung low like a canopy over them the deep they floated in. The sun over head still blazed on the water most of the time, but every so often you'd venture into a thick patch of trees that would all but blot out the light.

Jim made a point to frequently, but always in a hushed tone, point out animals to him that he would have missed otherwise, such as a small gator sunning on a fallen log, or a white crane that somehow hid itself between the trees and dipped its beak occasionally into the water to snap at fish and frogs. It was a quiet place, and shockingly peaceful compared to the reputation it had gained.

"We're just going to scope out a few potential spots today." Jim explained. "and leave a marker for us to see when we come back around tonight. The best time to harvest Seminole Moss is at dusk, but we'll have to do it quick so we're not out here after dark."

"What happens after dark?" Severus wondered out loud and the boat fell awkwardly silent. "What's the matter?"

"Well, a lot of weird stuff happens in the Bayou after dark." Lin rubbed the back of his sweaty neck. "There's a lot of stories, but no one can really say for certain what all goes on out here."

"Cultists." Monty put it simply. "and swamp creatures, ghost, dark witches and shadow men- "

"Only some of that can be confirmed." Jim reminded Monty carefully, but the mustachioed man scoffed at him.

"Young man, I live in this bayou, I was born in this bayou, I was _conceived_ in this bayou!"

"Uncle Monty!"

"I've seen things after dark that would turn you white." He continued without missing a beat. "Even the No-Majes that live on the water know that you don't go outside the porch lights at night time. I'm not saying all the stories are true, but no story just comes up out of nowhere with no bases. There may not be a 75 ft swamp snake sleeping under us at this moment, but you know where there are plenty of?"

"What?" Jim's eyes went wide, and Monty pulled an impish grin.

"Gators." He half laughed. "Big ole' gators that'll tip your boat, or mean ass boars that'll rush you if you get too close, and seven different types of deadly venomous snakes." He enunciated each syllable carefully while shaking his finger. "I've seen too many young witches and wizards come out here on one of my boats thinking the worst of their worries are Swamp Witches and enchanted quicksand, only for me to force emergency anti-venom down their throats after they get too close to a cottonmouth."

"Granny Daisy does." Lin pointed out and Monty laughed.

"Son, your Granny Daisy is nearly 152 years old. When you've practiced hoodoo as long as she has, you can do just about anything you want, cottonmouths be damned. But we're not Granny Daisy, are we?" Monty pushed his rowing stick into the water with a grunt. "No, we're just a bunch of strange little fish in this great big pond, don't ever forget that."

Severus chewed the inside of his cheek anxiously, starting to wonder if troublesome snakes were going to become a theme in his life from now on.

"But don't you worry, gents." Monty laughed, returning to his jovial self. "You're with Montgomery M. Whitefeather! And as long as I'm in this boat with you, no harm has ever come to anyone."

"Except those witches and wizards who got bit by cottonmouths." Lin added

"Well, yes. Except for them"


	29. Lora Lee

Veronica spent the day with her aunt and sister in the kitchen, and for a few hours she was taken back to a time when she was 13 years old and making lunch for her brothers and male cousins who had been recruited by her uncle to help outside. The radio would be sitting on the window sill and blaring a tune over white noise and Veronica, her hair in a braid, would be setting out rows of paper plates for her many relatives.

"Aunt Julia?" A song like voice called from the backdoor. The familiarity of the tone lit up Veronica's chest. "Are you in here?"

"Lora!" Veronica called. "We're in here!"

Lora Lee was a beautiful girl. Her slightly upturned blue eyes and sunny blonde hair was comparable to a fairytale princess, as was her cheery disposition and abounding kindness.

"Oh, my stars in heaven" Lora's mouth fell open before spreading into a broad smile. "You came!"

The two girls rushed each other into tight hugs, stumbling slightly from the impact.

"It's been too long." Lora moaned. "I missed you so much!"

"I know, I'm sorry." Veronica pulled away. "I should have written more, I'm awful for that."

"No, no, no, don't be silly" Lora beamed. "You're a big shot writer now, you must be so busy."

"That's no excuse." Veronica shook her head and hugged Lora lee again tightly.

"There's my little Bride to be!" Aunt Julia cut in between them and hugged Lora before looking her up and down. "Darlin', you're looking just gorgeous. I can't wait to see you in that wedding gown." Julia turned to Veronica expectantly. "Veronica sweetie, aren't you going to congratulate Lora?"

Veronica felt a knot of disgust in her stomach but swallowed it down, "Congratulations Lora"

Lora eyes Veronica with knowing eyes before turning to her Aunt. "Aunt Julia, wouldn't it be alright if I steal Veronica for a spell?"

"Oh, you girls go gossip. I'll handle everything here" Julia waved them off and they snuck out the back door quietly.

"I really didn't think you was gonna come." Lora said quietly, her heavy southern drawl was charming to the ear as she tied back her hair in the heat. "With everything that's happened."

"I wasn't at first" Veronica confessed as they wandered out the garden gate and towards the more undeveloped hills behind the house. "But Rachel set me straight after I told her, and plus I came with some support. So, I didn't have any excuse not to."

"Calvin told me last night that you brought a new beau." Lora mentioned with a small smile. "I'm glad to here that. I know how lonely you were after Vince got killed."

The mud on the hill squished under their shoes as they traveled up further. Veronica struggled up it, but it allowed her to take her focus off the impending conversation she didn't want to have.

"I couldn't believe it when I first got the invitation" Veronica hinted carefully. "I never dreamed that…you and Calvin…"

"You know how our family is." Lora shrugged, "But you gotta know it wasn't arranged." Lora stopped and looked dead into Veronica's eyes. "No one's forcing me to do any of this."

Veronica didn't know how to feel about this proclamation, but all the same she took Lora's hands and squeezed the tightly. "I'm glad. If this is what makes you happy, then I wish you all the best."

"Do you mean that?"

Veronica felt a bitter burn in her throat. "Yes"

Lora beamed proudly and laughed. "I'm so glad."

They continued to walk, reaching an old dirt road that led back toward the forest and through into town. "Calvin was so happy to see you yesterday." Lora giggled. "Why he was grinning like a possum on trash day last night, talking about how you hadn't changed one bit."

Veronica didn't respond until Lora's hand tightened on her arm. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"It's alright." Veronica brushed it off, each step she took growing tighter with purpose to keep walking.

"No, it ain't" Lora stopped dead in the road and pulled Veronica back. "I know everyone is trying to act like nothing happened, Veronica. Because they think that if they do, you'll just forget about it all, but you won't. You shouldn't."

"It was a long time ago."

"Calvin was wrong for what he did." Lora went on, her tone growing hard and louder. "He was horrible, and I almost told him no straight off when he asked to go with me because of it." Lora's face softened lightly. "But… He's changed, Veronica. I know it's corny to say, but it's true. I mean, he's still got a temper, but after you left us, he saw the light."

Veronica didn't want to listen to this sort of thing. It brought back such a sense of fear and dread that she wanted to take off into the wood and hide.

"Please Lora." Veronica rubbed her face, the heat from the sun and the heat of her blush growing unbearable. "It's hot, and I'm still very jetlagged. I don't want to think about this sort of thing right now."

"You're upset, I shouldn't have said anything!" Lora whined contritely, making Veronica wince. "Come one, we'll just mosey on over to my house and I'll get you a glass of water."

Veronica didn't protest as Lora led her down the road about a mile before they reached a small, comely house. The white painted porch offered blessed shade from the sun, and Lora sat Veronica on the pristine porch swing. "You sit here honey, I'm gonna run and get you some water."

"No Rush" Veronica sighed, pressing her eyes into her palms as the mixture of heat, jetlag, and frustration formed a pounding tension along her forehead. God, she had forgotten how hot it could really get here. Sweat seemed to pool behind her knees and her neck, and she wiped it off with a sigh.

"Here you go, here." Lora returned with a tall glass of ice water and a cool rag. "Darlin, I'm sorry. I forgot you must not be used to these down south summers anymore."

"It's nothing really, I'm fine." Veronica waved it off. "I'm sorry to be so much trouble, Lora."

"Don't be silly." Lora scoffed, pressing the cool rag on the nape of her cousin's neck firmly. "You're kin, you couldn't be trouble if you tried."

Veronica nodded and looked up, her face cooling down. "Where's Calvin?"

"At work." Lora shrugged casually, making Veronica sit up fully.

"Calvin got a job?" she laughed shortly.

"Uh huh, he's tending bar in the city" Lora explained. "at the Fleur De Lis. You remember that old place?"

"How could I forget." Veronica laughed, recalling the bright lights of the bar in the darkness of the city. The loud jazz band playing in the front that made her head ache and her heart tremble. "The first and last place I ever got piss drunk."

"I remember that." Lore snickered, "Your friend carried you home and up the stairs while Aunt Julia was pitching a fit, yelling about how you were going to become a lush."

"I remember that to." Veronica nodded. "That was the night I stopped drinking all together. Do you remember what I said to Aunt Julia?"

Lora shook her head. "I wish I didn't. It was awful cruel to say something like that."

"I know." Veronica leaned back, kicking off the porch planks gently to get the swing moving. "I told her my father would have been an idiot to marry her and I would have been an even bigger one to ever consider marrying a man like her son." Veronica sighed. "It was true though, that was the reason I left here, I don't know if anyone ever told you properly or if you just found out for yourself. I'll never forget the day they sat me down at the kitchen counter and told me what a smart idea it would be for me to marry Calvin; and how horrified they looked when I ran out of the house and to the bar with my friends."

"I still don't know why you were so shocked. You knew how it was in the family." Lora shrugged. "You had to have seen it coming."

"I think I did." Veronica nodded. "But at 17 years old, fresh out of school, the idea was just too much."

Lora went quiet a moment. "Do you…after what happened…do you ever wish you had just said yes and saved yourself all that trouble with Calvin?"

"No" Veronica didn't even have to think about it. "No, not at all. Even after all he put me through, I wouldn't have done it."

"Veronica?"

"Huh?"

"Do- "Lora wiped her face. "Do you think any less of me for marrying Calvin?"

Veronica froze. How could she answer that question? Lora Lee had been her very best friend for years, even closer than sisters. They told each other everything.

"No" Veronica sighed. "I don't think less of you. I don't like it, but if you _really_ love him. And if you _really_ want to marry him. Than I love and support you all the same."

Lora nodded, looking away from Veronica and over the broad stretch of land before them. Something flickered in her eyes that went unseen by everyone around her, burning with conflict and fear. Something that dreaded her to-be husband coming home tonight.


	30. Growing Apart

**Happy Holidays guys! I hope you're having a better time than I, but I won't bore you with my life troubles, you're not my therapists. However, in misery, one must find some form of solace and I will find mine here. Remember to comment, I do love seeing you guy in my emails, and have a happy holiday**

Lora and Veronica spent the whole day on the porch, reminiscing in the still, summer air. Veronica told Lora a little about her life since she had left, leaving her cousin green with envy.

"You mean to say that I haven't gone further than Mobile, and you're out here working for famous writers, staying in castles, fighting monsters, and all while writing you own novels?" Lora squealed. "Why, I could just die."

"There's still time, you're only 26." Veronica shrugged. "You have the money, you could go anywhere and see anything you want to."

"Calvin doesn't like travel." Lora rolled her eyes. "He like his routine."

"Then go without him." Veronica suggested, and Lora laughed loudly. "I'm _serious!_ He doesn't have to go if he doesn't want to."

"He'd never allow it."

"Honey, this is 1994" Veronica took Lora's hands, " _1994,_ not the dark ages! We girls don't have to simper around the house just because out men don't have a sense of adventure!"

"I wish I had your courage." Lora smiled sadly. "I'm just not the bold type, Veronica. You know that, I never have been. Maybe one day you any I can go somewhere together. Do you remember when we were little, and we dreamed about seeing the world together?"

"We still can Lora." Veronica assured her before going quiet and looking around. "Do you hear that?"

"What?"

"The Cicadas are out; what time is it?"

Lora glanced at her delicate watch and gasped. "Why it's nearly six o'clock, Aunt Julie must be wondering where we are!"

"Oh No!" Veronica shot up, "We'd better hurry."

"Wait, wait!" Lora ran inside and returned with an old, unassuming broomstick. "Hop on!"

"Lora" Veronica stared at the thing, "How long have you had this thing?"

"Does it matter? She still flies with the best of them, now come on!" Lora insisted, and Veronica straddled the broom behind her.

The old broom rose slowly and seemed to tremble under neither them before jerking up without warning and shooting off. Lora laughed gaily, and Veronica clung on to her. Their light skirts flapped in the wind, but that was the least of their worries until they landed safely on the balcony of the mansion.

"My god girl, I think you're got plenty of courage all on your own." Veronica laughed. "Riding that ratty old thing around, why don't you buy yourself another one that _won't_ kill you?"

"I like this one" Lora defended her broom, "And you got here alright, just a little messy looking."

"Well" Veronica patted down her hair, which the wind had wreaked havoc upon. "We'll just have to freshen up before going down stairs."

The two of them slipped through an unlocked window and rushed to Veronica's room, but she halted them before opening the door.

"Just a moment, I don't know if Severus is back from the boat yet." She whispered and knocked of the door. Receiving no answer, she peered in a nodded. "Nope, he must be down stairs, come on." Veronica let her in and closed the door.

"Do you want to change for dinner?" She motioned to Lora lee's rumbled sun dress and the blonde nodded.

"If you have anything that'll fit." She looked down at her own bust, then at Veronica's distinctly smaller one.

Veronica tossed her a loose blue blouse and jean shorts, which Lora Lee proceeded to make look 10 times better just by filling it out.

"I always did hate you for that." Veronica giggled as she slipped into a slightly nicer dress and sandals.

"I can't help it" Lora nudged her gently, giggling as the descended the staircase arm in arm, catching the eye of Rachel, who paced the spacious entry way in a red cotton dress and stylishly curled hair.

"There you two are!" She hisses, rushing to the foot of the stairs. "Aunt Julia was about to pop a blood vessel."

"I'm sorry Rachel, we lost track of time." Veronica waved her off. "Are the boy back from the swamp?"

"Yes, yes, your Severus and Jim have been talking since they got in." Rachel rolled her eyes, indignant over her husband's lack of attention towards her.

"Really?" Veronica blinked in surprise. "That's quite out of character for him, I have to see for myself." She led Lora Lee by the arm into the sitting room and to her shock, found Severus and Jim in adjacent chairs, too engrossed in their own conversation to notice the two new entrants.

"Come on" Veronica whispered, pushing them out of the room again quietly as though they had stumbled upon a baby deer timidly exploring a field. She steered them into the parlor and closed the door, Rachel joined them out of curiosity and an unwillingness to be left out of conversation.

"That's your man then?" Lora Lee giggled awkwardly. "He doesn't look…well I hadn't expected…"

"He's not very handsome." Veronica cut her off with a small smile before looking at her shoes. "I know…but I don't care about that, I think he's marvelous."

"There are marvelous men all over the world." Rachel repeated her old line. "I still don't see why you couldn't pick one that- "

"I don't see why you had to pick a husband ten years younger than you, and yet here we ar." Veronica snapped at her sister before she could go any further.

"Oh, leave her alone, Rachel." Lora leave defended her cousin. "Veronica's right, you can't choose who you fall in love with."

"Well" Veronica blushed suddenly and let out a nervous titter, "I-I wouldn't exactly use the word _love_ quite yet, I-. It's a bit soon for all that."

"Of course, Darlin'" Lora Lee lounged on a long settee, a far away and romantic look in her eyes, "but, you know with women our age, we ought to start looking for love. Real Love, not silly, passing puppy love like when you're 13 and have your first boyfriend. Don't you ever any to settle down, may kids?"

Veronica frowned and crossed her arms, "Well, it's not like we're wasting away Lora." She began with a hint of defensiveness in her tone. "I'd rather wait ten years to see if someone is the person I want to be with forever, than find out five years into a marriage when I'm miserable."

Now it was Lora's turn to get defensive, feeling that Veronica's tone was a little too pointed to be innocent. "I'm sure any marriage can work if you're willing to put in the effort for it to." She insisted simply. "I think the idea of "the one" a silly fantasy. You have to make compromises, and maybe even get hurt a little, if you want to be with someone forever."

"I don't know if I agree." Veronica said back in an equally flat tone, "In fact, I don't know if I would want someone under those terms. If someone really love you, they'd do their best to never hurt you, instead of you simply putting up with it for the sake of the relationship."

"Girl" Rachel felt the buzz of magical tension in the air and rose as the voice of reason. "Let's not get carried away now. We're all entitled to our own opinions."

Lora's blue eyes squinted a little, eyeing Veronica in a rare, scathing gaze before glancing to the side with a small smile. "You're right Rachel, we should fight over something like this." She stood up and straightened her borrowed dress with a sigh. "I guess after you've lost someone, you'd obviously be a little uneasy about real, serious love."

Veronica's mouth fell open a little as Lora left the sisters both stunned. Rachel watched the petite blonde go before closing the door behind her.

"What the hell was that?" Veronica sputtered, caught totally off guard by the smooth yes stinging comment.

"I wanted to tell you before." Rachel whispered. "Lora Lee's changed since we've been gone. She's become a lot more like the rest of the family these days."

"I don't believe it." Veronica hugged her arms to her body. "She was so sweet when we were walking today."

"People change, Veronica." Rachel approached her younger sister. "You haven't seen her in eight years, when she was 17."

"Maybe her and Calvin would be good together." Veronica muttered with a petty edge to her voice. Rachel sighed and patted her sister's shoulder.

"Come on, we should get to dinner."


	31. Family Dinner

**Sorry I've been gone kids, I've had to put up with some real nonsense the past week and a half but I'm back and I'm putting it behind me, so let's just get this going.**

Severus didn't know why Veronica walked into the dining room with a grim, ill-tempered look in her eye, but he couldn't miss the sparks of tension in the room as soon as her gaze met Lora's before quickly looking away and sitting next to him. Lora moved to sit next to Calvin, who had arrived shortly after Severus and Jim had. Jim had tried to invite Lin and Monty to supper with them, but the two declined the invitation with an almost nervous smile. Severus didn't fully understand why their eyes had turned so jumpy or their smiles so strained, but he could almost share their sentiments anyway.

The dinner table was nearly as long at the dining room itself and stood as a reminder of the family's status. While certain parts of the home had been changed to reflect modesty, such as screen doors, quaint bedrooms, and Aunt Julia's cozy kitchen, much of the home still retained its former opulence, and the dining room was no exception.

Severus for one was not a fan.

At least at the Malfoy Manor, the pomp and circumstance were consistent. There was no false show of modesty or welcoming hominess.

Here it was strange and yet almost tactically laid out. A grand staircase leading to simple guestrooms. A modest kitchen connected to an extravagant dining room. It was strangely off-putting.

Veronica didn't say anything as she sat, but almost subconsciously moved her chair closer to Severus's until they were nearly arm in arm. The motion unnerved him, as it was almost like she was seeking protection from him, but from what he couldn't be sure.

"Alright everyone" Julia chirped as she placed the final serving plate on the table. "Dig in."

The clatter of silver on plates rang out as the roast was served with greens and bread and slowly conversation started to rise between the diners.

Rachel seemed to have forgotten about her sister and instead began to talk across the table to Thaddeus. Jim attempted to strike up more conversation with Severus, who only half paid attention while keeping the other have on Veronica, who didn't seem the least bit interested in engaging with her family. What little food she had accepted on her plate remained untouched and instead she simply sipped at a wine glass full of water steadily.

Veronica's wall flower state was also noticed by Calvin, who had been sitting directly across from the two with Lora lee by his side.

"What's the matter Sugar?" Calvin abruptly cut into whatever Lora Lee had been say and eyes Veronica. "Not feeling well?"

Lora Lee, shaken slightly by the interruption, bounced back like a prize fighter. "She's just not used to this heat anymore is all. She had a little sick spell this afternoon in the sun."

Severus glanced at Veronica for confirmation, but she shook her head, "I'm fine"

"Darlin, if you're aren't feeling well, you're more than welcome to go lay down." Julia assured her niece, having overheard the conversation. "I can get you one of my cooling rags."

"I'm alright, really I am" Veronica assured them in a small voice. In truth she didn't feel alright at all, she suddenly felt sick to her stomach, but she wouldn't cause a scene. "I guess that Jet Lag is finally catching up with me, is all."

Lora lee nodded at this explanation and turned back to her betrothed.

"Anyway Calvin, I heard they managed to get the white roses in for the wedding. You know the ones I- "

"So, Severus." Calvin cut her off again, clearly not listening to the blonde beside him. "How did you and Veronica meet, I've yet to hear."

"Oh." Severus eyed Lora Lee awkwardly, waiting to see if she'd jump in before clearing his throat. "We met at the school I teach at. She was an assistant teacher."

"I see" Calvin's eyes flashed. "What do you teach?"

"Potions."

"Potions, ah" Calvin smiled a little. "Never was very good at potions. Now _dueling._ Dueling was a class I could get into, it's that right Veronica?"

"Uh huh" Veronica sighed closing her eyes a minute to limit the amount of stimulus her brain was receiving.

"You remember when we used to go out into the fields?" Calvin continued addressing her, "We'd practice for hours."

"Yeah, I remember" Veronica closed her eyes a little tighter, a dull ache forming across her forehead.

"Of course, you do. How could you forget."

"Calvin." Lora tried to cut in again, but Calvin brushed her off.

"Not now honey. Anyway, how could we forget that field, it was where."

Rachel nearly choked on her food before waving her hand at Lora Lee. "Lora, why don't you tell us about those white roses, darling. I'm dying to hear about them."

Lora, taking this bait, dived right back in and practically talked over Calvin, who grew more and more irritated.

Veronica was growing agitated as well and eventually the overlapping voices mixed with dinner sounds grew to be too much for her.

Severus looked down at the feeling of a hand on his leg and found Veronica pushing herself up from the table. "Excuse me, I need a moment." She almost whispered and nearly stumbled out of the dining room and into the hall.

Severus looked around awkwardly before politely excusing himself as well and following her down the hall and out the kitchen door. He found Veronica sitting on a concrete bench just outside the door, taking in the fresh air slowly.

"Are you alright?"

"No"

Severus frowned and moved closer, making sure to close both the screen and the heavy wood door behind him. "What's the matter? Is it the heat?"

"No Severus, it's not the heat."

"Then what?"

Veronica took a deep breath and rolled her neck. "I'm starting to think coming here was a bad idea. I thought I would know what to expect, but suddenly I feel like a stranger with my own family."

Severus took a deep breath and sat next to her, allowing her to lean into him fully now that they were alone. "So, what do you want to do? Find a hotel?"

"I don't know, I just feel so outside of it all, you know?"

Severus blinked for a moment, "No, I don't know."

"Well, I can't explain it." Veronica sighed. "I'll just be so glad when this is all over."

"Hm" Severus wrapped his arm around her shoulders tightly, hand curling up to feel her hair, "Tell you what, you go upstairs and rest. I'll have the excuse for you."

"I couldn't ask you to do that."

"I don't mind, I've faced scarier people than your family."

"Hm" Veronica pressed her face into his side. "I _am_ tired."

"Then go and rest, I will be up soon."

"Promise?"

"I Promise." Severus assured her, pulling her up with him and pushing her gently towards the door.

Veronica slipped up the stairs quietly, hoping no one would notice she had left as Severus ghosted his way back into the dining room where diner had concluded, and the family instead sat and conversed gaily.

"Pardon me, Mrs. Largo." Severus cleared his throat. "Veronica isn't feeling well and retired early, I hope you can excuse us."

"Oh of course honey." Julia stood and motioned to the kitchen, "If it's the heat, I have a stash of cooling rags in the ice chest, enchanted not to melt for hours. Go ahead and wrap one in a rag and take it to her, won't you?"

Severus offered a polite smile, "I will ma'am, good night." He made sure to nod to Thaddeus as well before turning.

"I'll show you where." He heard Calvin's voice draw up from behind him. "Besides I want to say goodnight to my little cousin in person." Calvin glanced over his shoulder at Lora Lee. "And apologize for my wife's behavior."

Lora Lee's cheeks burned as she avoided his gaze. Severus shook his head calmly.

"That's really not necessary."

"I know." Calvin smiled into his face, "But I insist upon it anyway."

Unable to deter Calvin without seeming rude, Severus was forced to walked through the hall with the shorter man.

"Sugar never was the hearty type." Calvin chuckled a little as he fumbled with a rag for the icepack. "Even when she was little, I guess I've always had a soft spot for her."

"Oh?" Severus fell a sense of unease wash over him at the man's comment.

"Yeah, broke my heart when she decided to leave. Wanted to attend one of those No-Maj universities I guess."

"Yes, she's told me."

They reached the middle of the stair case before Calvin swiftly turned around and faced him with a grin, "Say, I never did get to finish telling you about the field, did I?"

Severus narrowed his eyes, "No, you didn't."

"That Lora Lee." Calvin scoffed, "She's a sweet girl, she really is. But sometimes she just doesn't know when to stop talking."

When Severus didn't respond to this Calvin shrugged, "Anyway, the field. I saw a lot of action in that old field, probably too much for a guy as young as I was."

"By action you mean…." Severus arched a brow at the implication, but Calvin laughed.

"I mean dueling, man. Dueling!" Calvin shook his head. "See, after Sugar got to _that age,_ well" Calin let out a short laugh. "I guess I got a little carried away with my responsibilities as a man in this family, you know?"

Severus swallowed, "Not entirely, you mean you'd duel people because of Veronica?"

"Of course, mostly men. You know the type that can't keep their hands and eyes to their selves." Calvin elaborated with a lighthearted laugh. "at first it was just this one fella that wouldn't leave her alone when she was 12. Then they started coming out of the woodworks until I lost count. But last I remember it had to be about 20 or 30."

"And you fought them all?" Severus clarified with a hint of disbelief. "That's a lot of school yard fights."

"Oh, I'm not talking school yard fights, brother." Calvin turned on his, a serious edge to his voice, though his mouth was still a smile. "I'm talking duels, real duels. With all the risks they come with."

Severus went silent for a minute, unsure if Calvin was saying what Severus thought he might be saying.

"You mean to say…that you…"

"I won." Calvin's eyes flashed with a dangerous glint, like light off a blade.

"And…. the police, they didn't…?"

"Wasn't nothing to do." Calvin shrugged. "around here the law says that if you accept a challenge than you're excepting the risks that come with it. And that means _any_ risk."

Severus's throat went dry, but he had just one question left.

"How…if I may ask, how old were you, were they?"

Calvin bit the inside of his cheek in thought. "Let's see, I challenged the first fella when I was 15, Veronica would have been about 12. As for the first guy he was 16 years old."

"And the others?"

Calvin shrugged, "I suppose the youngest one was about 12."

Severus fell silent, unsure what he could possibly say in this situation.

"I know what you're thinkin." Calvin chuckled darkly. "It's okay, if I were looking in from the outside, I'd probably be thinking the same thing. But you gotta understand something. Veronica was my girl, I was going to marry her, keep her safe."

They reached the bedroom door as Calvin turned to Severus one last time with a dangerous look in his eyes that made the potions master feel as if his next words would determine if he lived or died in the next few minutes.

"Can you understand that, Severus?" Calvin asked, "Can you understand what I mean when I say that I'd do anything to keep her safe."

Severus swallowed and forced himself to stare Calvin dead in the eye as he had upon meeting him. Only know he knew he was staring into the eyes of a killer.

"I understand what you mean perfectly." Severus assured him sternly.

Calvin assessed Severus firmly, openly looking him up and down as he drew closer. They were nearly nose to nose before Calvin's face split into a knowing smile and he clapped the rag he had been holding hostage in his grasp into Severus's palm.

"I knew you would." Calvin took a step back and nodded. "You take care of her for me, alright? See she gets that icepack."

Severus nodded and watched him retreat down the stairs before darting into the bedroom and locking the door behind him.

Veronica was already curled into the bed, her sundress cast off to the floor and her body curled under a white linen sheet.

Severus took a deep breath and sat on the edge of the bed stiffly, kicking off his shoes as he made a mental note to ask Monty about hotels in town.


	32. Breaking Off

"Are you asleep?"

"No."

Veronica rolled over in bed to find Severus on his stomach, facing away from her.

"I heard you and Calvin talking…what about?"

"You."

Veronica felt her face go red with embarrassment and guilt, "About the field?"

Severus didn't answer.

Veronica turned on her back and stared up at the ceiling, the faint light of the porch lantern allowing the smallest bit of yellow illumination to leak through the curtains.

"I should have told you before we came."

"Yes." Severus grumbled, "you should have."

"I'm sorry, Severus."

Severus sighed, rolling over to look at her. "I know you are."

Veronica's guilt grew heavy with the weight of knowing that she had allowed him to come with her, despite knowing her and Calvin's past.

"We should leave here." She whispered. "Tomorrow, I'll cover the hotel room."

"I was actually going to talk to Monty about that tomorrow." Severus sat up fully, hopes of sleep now dashed. "or is it today? What time is it?"

"I think maybe midnight." Veronica sat up and looked at Severus with soft eyes, knowing that if he was cross with her than her affection would not be welcome. "I…I am so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking, bringing you here. I guess I thought I would feel so safe with you with me, that I forgot to think about your safety."

Severus laid back down and stretched. "I'm not mad at you." He assured her. "I don't know if I was ever really mad, because even if I had known I would have come with you because I wouldn't want you to be alone."

This made Veronica smile smally and reach out to rub his bare shoulder.

"I just wish you would have been up front with me. I hate going into things blind."

"I know." Veronica nodded before looking away and swallowing hard. "Severus."

"Yes?"

"Promise me something."

"Anything."

"If Calvin…if he decides to challenge you. Promise me that you won't take it."

Severus glanced up at her as if she were mad, but she went on.

"I know, I know, there's a level of pride involved. But I have lost nearly every boy I might have loved because of him. And I don't want to lose you too."

Severus sat up solemnly, looking her dead in the eye while looking exhaustedly passive. The silence grew tense as Veronica was afraid that he would reject the very idea.

"I can't believe you think I'd be stupid enough to accept a challenge from that man." He finally sighed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"No! That's not what I meant!" Veronica laughed hitting him with a pillow. "I just meant that."

"That for a moment you thought that I'd be willing to kill myself over pride." Severus finished the statement for her and Veronica blushed in embarrassment.

"Fine, fine, it was a stupid thing to say" Veronica leaned on him, "Just…promise me anyway."

Severus grunted and rested his sharp chin on her shoulder. "Very well. I promise."

"Good" Veronica leaned back against him, pushing them both back against the mattress, "Let's try to get some rest. I will tell Aunt Julia in the morning."

The next morning, all wedding panic had kicked itself into high gear. However, Veronica was finally able to corner her aunt by helping fill tiny gift bags for guests with rice and ribbons.

"Aunt Julia, you know I love you right?"

"Oh, that's never a good way to start a conversation, honey." Aunt Julia eyed her anxiously. "What's the matter, are you still sick?"

"No, no, I'm fine." Veronica assured her Aunt. "It's just that, well Severus and I really appreciate you letting us stay here, but we've decided that it would be best for us to rent a room for the rest of the time."

"What?!"

Veronica winced at her aunt's shrill explanation. "Please Aunt Julia, I promise it's nothing personal it's just… well" the woman sighed deeply. "It's just that I don't feel comfortable having Severus here while Calvin is around so much."

"Oh." Julia's face fell, "Oh honey, don't be silly. It's not like Calvin would…"

"I don't know that." Veronica cut in. "Maybe you and Uncle Thaddeus have seen a change in him over 8 years, but to me I still see the same Calvin and I…I really like Severus and I don't want anything to happen to him. And that's my final word on the matter."

Veronica said her piece with haste so that she could not be interrupted, leaving Julia shaken and silent.

"Alright." Julia looked down dejectedly. "If that's really what you want Veronica, you're a grown woman now and I can't stop you."

"Thank you" Veronica nodded quietly, only half guilty over being so forceful with her aunt. "I love you."

"Ooooh" Julia sighed and kissed Veronica's temple sweetly. "I love you too honey. Now let's get these bags finished for tomorrow."

Meanwhile Severus had managed to get Monty alone on the boat while Lin and Jim were mapping out the best routines through the swamp.

"Yeah, I was wondering how long you would last in that house." Monty shook his head. "I'm surprised they let you and your girl come back here at all from what I've heard."

"What did you here?"

"That that poor thing was all but forced out after refusing to marry that awful cousin of hers." Monty sneered. "No offence."

"None taken." Severus assured him. "Go on."

"It's not secret around here that the Largo boy is a killer. Sure, he may say it was to defend the family honor, but he never fooled anyone. Hell, it got to the point that any son of Adam who so much as _looked_ at his cousin would be challenged, and thankfully soon enough folks got wise to how good he was and stopped accepting." Monty growled a little. "He hasn't tried that with you has he?"

"Not yet" Severus shook his head. "that's why we're looking for a room. Plus, Veronica made me swear to decline if he ever did."

"And would you?" Monty eyed him with almost soft, understanding eyes as Severus pulled a face.

"Not if he hurts her." Severus finally confessed. "if he hurt her, that I would have to break my promise."

"Son" Monty eyed him sadly, "that man's very existence hurts her."

By the end of the night, Monty had given Severus the addresses of three magic friendly inns in the city before he returned to the house. "Now listen, if anything happens. I want you to send up a red flair. I' don't live but a mile and a half away, so I'll be able to see it."

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I don't think that will be necessary." Severus assured him as dark began to fall over the edge of the swamp.

"You never know. All the same, I'll keep an eye out on the sky tonight."

Severus nodded and thanked the man once more before returning with Jim to the house. Veronica had spent whatever free time she could get packing their bags to leave. She met Severus at the door with her shoes already on.

"Any leads? I've already called a cab to take us into the city, county law says we can't apperate there without a temporary license."

"I think the Le Rayz hotel will be our best bet. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, I've already told Aunt Julia and Uncle Thaddeus. The bags are still in the room."

"I'll go get them" Severus moved quickly, an almost clairvoyant feeling of dread creeping up upon him as he ascended the staircase.

"Hey Sugar"

Veronica flinched suddenly at the sudden voice behind her as she turned slowly. "Oh. Hi Calvin."

"Mama say you and your man are holing up in a hotel for a while huh?"

"Uh huh" Veronica took a step away from him as Calvin leaned on the wall next to her.

"Well that's a shame, I was looking forward to seeing more of you here."

"Well you won't be seeing much of me on your honeymoon, so." Veronica smiled nervously and mentally urged Severus to hurry it up with the bags.

"Ah," Calvin scoffed. "Honeymoons are overrated. We're thinking of staying right here."

"Oh?" Veronica arched a brow. "How does Lora Lee feel about that?"

"Oh Lora Lee." Calvin shook his head. "Look Sugar, it's not that I don't like Lora, she's a sweet girl. It's just… well you know how our family is." The man looked to her for confirmation. "Just because I'm marrying Lora Lee doesn't mean I my feelings for you have changed any. You're still my girl."

Calvin's smile faltered a little before he moved closer to her, making Veronica's skin crawl. "Hey, listen." He lowered his voice. "I know that you and I…towards the end, we kinda grew apart."

Veronica didn't reply and felt that the more she moved away the closer he got.

"And I don't like where we left things off you know? I did somethings, you did somethings, and I just think maybe it's time you and I made up huh?"

Veronica looked up at Calvin with unveiled disgust. "you killed people Calvin."

"For you."

"Is that supposed to flatter me?"

"It's supposed to show you how much I care about you." Calvin growled, cornering his cousin in the doorway. "That I would do anything for you."

"Anything?"

"Anything."

Veronica growled and broke away from her cousin forcefully. "then stay away from me, and stay away from Severus."

Calvin rolled his eyes. "Oh, come _on_."

"I am not coming on!" Veronica snapped. "Calvin, you killed people! I had to flee the damn country to get married to the man I loved to you would kill him to!"

"We see how well that turned out." Calvin muttered under his breath, but it still caught Veronica's ears, making her turn on his slowly.

"What the hell did you just say to me?" She breathed in a dangerously low tone.

"Nothing." Calvin shook his head and Veronica raised her hands, at first in exasperation, then almost as if to throttle the man, before freezing beside her head.

"Severus, will you _please_ hurry it up?!" She finally yelled up the stairs after failing to find any words for her cousin.

Severus descended quickly, pulling a stony face when he spotted Calvin at the bottom of the stairs as if waiting for him. "Calvin."

"Mr. Snape."

"Severus let's go. We're leaving." Veronica impatiently hurried him along already opening the front door.

Severus didn't question her as she took her bag from him and moved at double his speed to get out the door.

"Still seeing you tomorrow then?" Calvin asked as she stormed down the porch steps, Severus for once being the one to struggle to keep up.

Veronica didn't respond and instead didn't stop walking until she reached the edge of the land to wait for the cab she had called, at which point she sat her sturdy suit case on the ground and sat on top of it with sound that was half huff half scream.

"Merlin, Veronica." Severus eyed her carefully. "What happened down there."

"I don't. Want. To talk about it" she spoke slowly.

"Are you sure?"

"Very."

Severus didn't address it again and couldn't tell if she was about to cry to hit something. In truth, the uncertainty disturbed him. Too many times had he gotten the raw deal because of someone else's emotions.

Veronica on the other hand, struggled to get her emotions in check. A large part of her didn't even want to stick around for the wedding and just wanted to hole up in the hotel room for the rest of the summer while Severus finished his research. But her reasonable part told her that making herself miserable wouldn't help anything at all.

So, she was simply stuck in the middle, perfectly miserable.

The cab pulled up along the driveway for them and Veronica slipped in silently as Severus simply threw the bags in the back and slipped in next to her before giving the driver their destination.

The two sat in tense silence until Veronica finally broke.

"Severus?"

"Yes?"

"Sorry I yelled at you."

"Did you?" Severus mused knowingly, "I don't remember that."

The woman side eyed him with complete adoration before unclipping her seat belt and sliding across the seat to be next to him, not waiting for permission before curling into his side as his long arm draped over her.


	33. Bad Times at the Hotel Le Rayz

_**Hope Everyone is enjoying their New Year. share your resolutions or big plans in the comments along with your comments! :)**_

The Le Rayz hotel was nearly remarkable in its shabbiness, but neither Severus nor Veronica were truly bothered when they reached the hotel lobby late into the night. They didn't do much talking, as they hardly ever did when one or both of them were exhausted and miserable.

"Double rooms or a single?"

"Single." Veronica didn't bother waiting to answer the night shift manager who checked them in and loaded their suitcases on an enchanted trolley that followed them to their room.

"Sharing a room again?" Severus questioned semi-lightly, trying to make the evening seem less grim.

"Well, I enjoyed your snoring so much the last time I figured I couldn't pass up the opportunity." Veronica only half joked before biting her lip. "plus… I don't really want to be alone tonight."

Severus nodded seriously. "In all honesty, nor do I."

"There's no way he could know where we are, I didn't tell anyone and there are hundreds of hotels and inns in this city." Veronica reasoned as she unlocked their room and pushed open the door with the toe of her shoe. As it would turn out, the single room also came with a single bed, but that was of no consequence at this point. Veronica wondered how it could have grown so late in such a short time and realized how much faster the days seemed to go when stress wore her down.

Severus didn't bother to do more thank kick off his shoes before laying down and nearly falling instantly asleep, but Veronica found that such release was reluctant to grace her despite her exhaustion. Somehow the room seemed even hotter than the weather outside, but to their chagrin the window was sealed shut and the air conditioner apparently broken beyond the means of a simple repair charm.

"At least you'll still be able to continue your work with Jim after all this is over." Veronica fanned herself with a pamphlet of some local restaurants and attractions graciously left behind by housekeeping. "How's that going by the way?"

"Very well, actually." Severus ran his hands over his face, not surprised to find sweat forming on his brow already. "We've already discovered trace amounts of the moss on some logs and stumps deeper in the swamp, so we're thinking that the further in we go, the more we will find."

"And who was that man who suggested this place? Marty?"

"Monty" Severus smirked, "The barmy old swamp boatman with the strangest facial hair I have ever seen."

"Sounds like fun" Veronica laughed, "Though his taste in hotels in lacking."

"He's a good person" Severus smiled a little, "Mad bastard even offered to come kick Calvin's ass if he tried to keep up from leaving."

"Oh, that's just what we need." Veronica scoffed contemptibly, "More people dying."

Severus went silent a moment. "It's not your fault, you know."

"What do you mean?"

"All those people Calvin killed." Severus looked over at her to gauge her reaction. "You need to know that that wasn't your fault."

"I know" Veronica's face hardened. "I beat myself up for a long time thinking that it had been, but eventually I realized that it wasn't my fault that my cousin is a jealous, homicidal lunatic." The woman squirmed uncomfortably and slipped the thick straps on her sundress off her shoulders as if that could give her some relief from the sticky summer heat.

"I suppose these past few days in the bayou have sort of gotten you used to this heat huh?" she changed the subject, noting that he was still dressed in a long sleeved, albeit lightly made, shirt, and long pants. In truth, the sight of him stretched out on the bed was more than welcome, his shirt slightly untucked form his pants, his long legs bent slightly as his back arched with a yawn.

The idea came to her suddenly, the stress of the week triggering some primal part of her body that sought out comfort.

"No, I'm broiling." Severus confessed, "This just happens to be the level of undress I'm comfortable reaching."

"Really?" Veronica laughed before biting it back, "Sorry, I didn't mean to make fun."

Severus shrugged.

"Well If you're at your comfortable level of undress, do you mind terribly if I do the same?" Veronica offered, desperate for some kind of relief.

"By all means." Severus waved his hand. Veronica wasted no time to ridding herself of the sundress entirely, along with her bra, letting out a sigh of relief as she did so. She ran her hand over the angry red indent the garment left in her side for a moment with a frown.

Severus glanced up at her before looking away with a surprised grunt. "Oh…I hadn't realized that-uh."

"I can put the dress back on if you like."

"No, no." Severus laughed awkwardly, suddenly growing much warmer. "I mean if _you're_ comfortable, then I-"

"Severus?"

"Yes?"

Veronica smiled slyly. "You know what I'm trying to do, don't you?"

Severus swallowed hard as his heart began to panic. "I-uh. I…"

Veronica eyed his evident distress with slight disappointment but nodded understandingly. "it's alright." She smiled a little.

"I'm sorry."

"Why should you be sorry?" Veronica laughed in surprise. "Severus, you have nothing to be sorry for. If you don't want to make love, you don't want to. There's nothing wrong with that."

Severus frowned a moment, "There's not?"

"Of course, there's not." Veronica leaned over to throw back on her dress. "If I didn't want to sleep with you, would you be upset?"

"I mean, I suppose not." Severus shifted awkwardly, "But it's different for men."

"How so?"

"I- "Severus paused, unable to come up with a real answer and coming to realize that she was right. Why should he want to have sex, just because he's a man?

"You know." He shrugged. "It's not because I'm not attracted to you. It's not, I'm not in the mood."

Veronica crawled over the bed toward him and kiss him soundly on the temple. "No need to explain. But thank you for saying I'm attractive."

"Well" Severus smirked. "you must have known you were reasonably attractive to so boldly undress and offer yourself to me."

"Well." Veronica laughed. "Maybe it's the past few days that have gotten me so bold. Nothing like spending time with a homicidal maniac to light a fire under your ass." She smiled a little before kissing his lips, this time he readily reciprocated. "It's hot, I'm going to get a cool shower. You get some sleep."

With that Veronica left him on the bed as she grabbed a cheap hotel towel and locked the bathroom door behind her.

After the door shut, Severus let out a deep breath, still shaken from what just happened. Never, even in his dreams, had he imagined that something like _that_ would ever happen.

In truth, Severus had very few intimate encounters with women because he never sought them out. If anything, he'd had more experience with men than women. But seeing Veronica like that hadn't simply aroused him, it had overwhelmed him.

Determined to put the incident behind him, Severus moved to the small wall sink and soaked his face and neck in cool water. A sharp knocking came from the door and made him freeze.

"Yes, who is it?" He called, hoping to hear the gruff of some old house keeper, but had no such luck.

"Is Veronica there?" Calvin's smooth draw echoed from the other side.

Severus growled and peered through the peephole. The sound of the shower in the bathroom may have covered up the sound of the knocking, but Severus didn't want to risk Veronica knowing Calvin was here. Instead he drew his wand and opened the door until the chain lock stopped it.

"She doesn't want to see you Calvin." Severus hissed, swiftly wiping the charming smile off Calvin's face. "Frankly, I'm not too thrilled about it either."

"If it's all the same to you." Calvin moved as if to push his way into the room, "I'd like to hear that from her."

"It's not all the same to me, actually." Severus insisted, pushing him back and slipping out of the room fully himself, closing the door behind him. "I don't know what you said to her be there, but I will not have you upsetting her further."

"Who are you to keep me from my family?!" Calvin seethed.

"Someone who actually _cares_ about her feelings, and if you were even capable of half of that you would have the decency not to show your face around here."

"You son of a bitch!" Calvin lunged at Severus, who was quick to draw his wand and throw Calvin back against the wall, shaking the hallway with the force. Calvin was hit back to hard that when he hit the dry wall, cracks formed from the impact.

Calvin doubled over from the attack, panting heavily. Slowly he looked up at Severus with a trickle of blood spilling from his mouth and an evil look in his blue eyes. Drawing himself up fully Calvin wiped his lip and looked at the smeared crimson on his palm and smiled broadly.

"You drew first blood." Calvin chuckled, yanking out a handkerchief and wiping the mess away fully. "Is that a challenge then?"

"What if it is?" Severus drew himself up and Calvin laughed.

"Then you've got yourself a duel." The blonde looked him up and down. "No seconds, no ref, just you and me. The field by St. Thomas's church by my mama's house. 3 a.m."

For a moment, Severus remembered his promise to Veronica just a day before. How serious and sad she had looked when she made him swear not to take Calvin up on any challenge, even if it meant his pride.

"No."

Calvin's eyes narrowed. "No?"

"No." Severus confirmed, "I'm done with you, Calvin. Go get married, live your life, and know that you will never see Veronica again."

Calvin let out a sound that could only be called inhuman as Severus moved to unlock the door and slip back in.

"Go home Calvin." He glared daggers into the man before closing and locking the door. Severus waited a moment before peering through the eye hole of the door to find that Calvin was gone.

"Who was that darling?" Veronica peered out of the bathroom, wet hair plastered to the back of her neck and shoulders as she wrapped a towel around her bust.

"Housekeeping" Severus lied smoothly. "They want to see if everything was to our liking."

"Did you mention the air conditioner?"

"Uh, no." Severus swallowed, "Must have slipped my mind. Darling?"

"Yes?"

"Do you really want to go to that wedding tomorrow?"

Veronica sat on the bed and wrung out her hair. "The truth?"

"Truth."

"No" Veronica shook her head. "I really don't."

"Then we should leave." Severus muttered insistently. "As soon as possible."

"What?" Veronica frowned. "But you're work."

"I'm going to get ahold of Jim tonight."

Veronica's face suddenly grew deeply solemn. "Severus. That wasn't housekeeping at the door, was it?"

Severus bit his lip and shook his head. "No."

Veronica nodded, a cold chill running down her back. "You're right. We need to leave."


	34. Bad Blood

The next morning, Veronica woke up afraid to leave the hotel room. She didn't want Severus to leave either, but he assured her that if he left between the time the wedding started and finished, then he wouldn't have any trouble getting to the Department of Magical Transportation and back. Veronica promised to stay in the room and keep the door locked until he came back, no matter who knocked. Meanwhile, Severus had managed to traverse to crowded city streets using Veronica's directions.

The Department of Magical Transportation at first looked like little more than a muggle bus station, but behind the plexiglass window of the furthest ticket vendor's station sat an elderly man who looks more like a crumbled origami puppet than a human being.

"I'm on my lunch break, young man. One of the other booths can assist you." He grumbled, his chin tucked into his chest with his eyes closed under the wrinkles of his face.

"Oh? Do they specialize in Portkeys too?" Severus spoke plainly, only wanting to get what he needed and get out as quickly as he could.

The old man opened on eye to look him up and down before tilting his chair back onto it's four feet and nodding. "I see, and where would we be traveling this fine day?"

"Cokesworth, England." Severus let his eyes flick to either side of him, worried he may be overheard by less than savory ears.

"Anyone traveling with you?"

"One other person."

"Baggage?"

"Four trunks in total"

"What is your current location?"

"The La Rayz Hotel"

"And when would you like to leave?"

"As soon as possible."

The old man jotted all of this down and flipped through a weathered looking three ring binder full of laminated pages. "We're quite booked up for this season, and our nearest portkey to Cokesworth would be in London. Will that due?"

"It will have to" Severus nodded. "When do we leave?"

"Well, I'm afraid the earliest I can get schedule you a Portkey would be four a.m. tomorrow morning." The vendor set his binder on his tiny desk and eyed Severus, "But luckily, she's one of the cheaper ones."

"I'll take it." Severus didn't hesitate to agree, pulling out his billfold swiftly and passing the amount to the vendor, who in turn passed him a small map and a description of the Portkey.

Just as he slipped through the doors of the station his shoulder bumped into another's, making him turn to issue a brief apology.

"Severus?"

Severus blinked and looked the younger man up and down, "Oh, Lin. What are you doing here?"

Lin shuffled uncomfortable and mustered a nervous smile. "Just, uh, booking a portkey. Planning on a vacation soon, and I wanted to get one early, you know?"

Severus nodded slightly and turned to leave, but jumped when he self a hand close around his wrist.

"Careful" Lin laughed in a way that was oddly stiff, making Severus eye him awkwardly before brushing off his hand.

"Lot of steps." Lin sputtered, turning an embarrassed red, "d-don't fall."

Severus's danger meter flew to the red as he backed away from the younger man, "I won't."

As he left Lin standing on the stairs, Severus felt in his pocketed carefully. His wand was still there, as was his billfold and the map.

Unsure of what just happened, Severus veered off into the alley between two shops and felt his arm. Finding a small damp spot on his shirt, he turned his forearm over to find the underside was stained with fresh blood. He rolled up the sleeve carefully and found two small and yet deep pinprick wounds at the base of his wrist where the blue veins were the most prominent.

 _Shit_

"Taking a walk?"

Severus felt the cold of a blade press through his shirt as a figure slid up from within the alley and stood by him. He glanced to the side and saw a man unknown to him with fair features and dark hair.

"Who are you?"

"That doesn't matter." The man spoke quickly, "As of a minute ago, a slow acting poison was introduced into your bloodstream via your wrist. As was ordered by a mutual acquaintance of ours. In exchange for the antidote, you must come with me to meet him."

"If I don't?"

"Then you die, either from this knife or from the poison."

Severus felt in his pocket for his wand and nodded, "Fine, but _she_ stays out of this."

"It as already been arranged that nothing will happen to her, on this you have my word."

Severus allowed himself to be led away into the alley, the hand on his wand starting to tingle with slight numbness.

Meanwhile, Veronica sat on the bed in the hotel room, eyes anxiously on the clock.

Severus had been gone longer than he should have been, but she had no way of reaching him. All she could do was wait.

"Veronica?"

She froze as a knock came from the door and Veronica rushed to peer through the eyehole. "Lora Lee?"

"Veronica, please let me in."

Veronica bit her lip and stepped back, "I-I'm sorry Lora. I really am, but I can't do that."

"Calvin isn't with me, I promise." Lora lee pleaded. "Please Veronica, I don't like how we left things off at Aunt Julia's house. Even if you don't want to come to the wedding, can't I at least come in?"

Veronica sighed and opened the door for her cousin.

She was a vison, a true classic southern bride.

"Lora Lee, you shouldn't be here, you have to go get married." Veronica closed the door behind her. "I'm sorry, but I just can't come to your wedding. Not with Calvin there."

"The wedding's been pushed back a few hours." Lora lee pouted, "Calvin said he had something to take care of."

"Oh?" Veronica felt her heart sink. "Did he say what?"

"No" Lora sat on the bed. "Veronica, I have something to confess to you."

"What's the matter Lora?" Veronica sat by her younger cousin with concern in her voice.

"It's about Calvin." Lora looked down, "It's just, he doesn't love me."

"Oh" Veronica swallowed. "I-I'm sure he loves you, Lora." She patted the girl's shoulder, "he proposed, didn't he?"

"Because his mama made him." Lora sighed, "he never loved me, he couldn't stop loving you long enough to love anyone else."

"Oh" Veronica felt discomfort wash over her, "I wouldn't call that Love, Lora."

"You know," Lora Chuckled sharply. "I thought that if I put everything I had into him, maybe I could make him love me. And when he proposed, I thought maybe it had worked. But I was wrong, he didn't want me. He just wanted you."

Veronica scooched away from her cousin, but Lora took her hand and help it tightly. "You know how I wanted to save myself for marriage? Well, I thought maybe if I gave Calvin that, he would realize how much I love him."

Lora seemed on the brink of tears, but not tears of sadness. This was something else, something darker.

"But he just took advantage of it. He made it about you! He kept saying your name, wouldn't even make love to me unless I hid my face and he could pretend! I remember he even wanted me to dye my hair brown so I would look more like _you_!"

The grip on Veronica's hand turned into a vice that squeezed her with trembling hands and manicured nails that turned into talons and hooked themselves into her skin.

"Lora Lee, don't talk like this." Veronica's voice trembled. "Why not just leave him? Why did you invite me if all this was happening?"

"Because I wanted Calvin to see what he was getting!" Lora lee shouted, throwing Veronica's hand down and shooting up, wringing her own hands. "I wanted him to see how beautiful and alike he and I are, and how much of a better match we are! But _NO,_ you had to come. And you're _successful,_ and you're _liberated,_ and you have this man who treats you like a partner and can't keep his eyes off you! And you ruined _everything!_ "

Veronica stood and darted to the other side of the bed, placing the mattress between them like a barricade. "Lora Lee, I'm sorry but I need you to leave." She swallowed hard, eyeing her wand on the table. "Severus will be here soon, and we're leaving just as soon as he does. You won't have to see either of us ever again."

"No!" Lora lee threw her fists at her side like a petulant child. "That's not good enough anymore! You're all he talks about now!"

"Lora lee, please." Veronica reached for her wand and the blonde bride whipped out her own before she could reach it.

"Accio wand!"

Veronica's wand flew into Lora Lee's grasp and the blonde looked of the long, slender tool carefully a moment before snapping it in half on her knee.

"You won't be needing this." Lora lee growled, tossing the remnants to the side. "Not anymore."

Veronica froze as Lora lee raised her own wand at her own cousin, sparks flying in her eyes. But she paused as if she didn't quite know what she wanted to do just yet.

Using this hesitation, Veronica focused all her will to survive into her chest and in a last-ditch attempt to save herself, flung her arm across the room forcefully. "Move!"

To her surprise, it actually worked as the heavy iron bedframe dragged itself across the floor and plowed into Lora lee, who was momentarily knocked back just long enough for Veronica to run for the door and fumble with the lock.

As she flung the door open, she felt a blast of heat on her side as a bolt of magic scorched the wall paper feet from her head. This sent her bolting down the hallway, sure as she was alive that Lora Lee wasn't far behind.

"Come back here!" Lora called. "Veronica I'm sorry! I didn't mean it, I swear! Come back!"

Veronica didn't even think to look back as she ran down the flights of stairs and out the lobby doors.


	35. A Surreal Encounter in a Swamp Boat

The swamp never felt like a safe place to be, in Severus's opinion.

Every log looks just a little bit too much like an alligator, every hanging vine a little too similar to a snake.

But he didn't have time to worry about any of that, now that the danger had so graciously presented itself before him, armed with a sturdy looking wand and an even sturdier looking bowie knife.

"Give me one reason I shouldn't kill you right now." Calvin glowered at him, hunched over on the opposite side of the flat boat they had been set adrift on by one of Calvin's henchmen.

"Because it's against the law?" Severus reasoned plainly. He was surprisingly calm over the whole situation, but perhaps that was just a side effect of his decades of well practiced fronting.

Calvin blinked a moment before scoffing, he seemed almost impressed. "Give me a better reason"

"Because it would break Veronica's heart if I washed up on the banks of the swamp dead."

Calvin seemed to consider this before shaking his head. "She'd get over it, eventually. She's not a very strong person, but she is resilient."

Severus nodded in agreement. "So, what now?"

"Are you so eager to die?" Calvin sneered at him and Severus shook his head, hand still close to his concealed wand.

"No, I just like to know what the plan is when I'm in unfamiliar territory."

The blonde-haired man leaned back a little and looked around them, taking in the daytime scenery of the swamp.

"Honestly?"

"Honestly."

"I don't know." Calvin smiled a little, pointing the knife at Severus as if he were shaking his finger at him, "You know, you impressed me."

Severus didn't respond but that didn't' phase Calvin in the slightest.

"When I first saw you, I thought to myself 'Who is this strange man tailing my cousin like a shadow'?" Calvin looked him up and down. "Not very handsome, not charming, _obviously_ not from money. I know wealth when I see it. For the life of me I could not figure out why Veronica had latched her self onto _you_ of all people." Calvin leaned back, setting aside his knife, as well as his wand. "Why do you think that is?"

Severus blinked. "Pardon?"

"Why do you think that my cousin has got herself so caught up on you?" Calvin repeated. "You're smart, I want to hear your theory."

Severus remained still for a moment.

It was a question that once had plagued his nights and days, tormenting him as he lay in bed at night fully of uncertainty.

He wasn't rich. He wasn't handsome. And he had all the charm of roadkill.

And yet, Veronica made it clear to everyone around them that she was mad for him.

For the sake of his own sanity, Severus had stopped questioning it at a certain point.

"I don't know" Severus admitted. "I ask myself that quite a bit, but I never find an answer."

Calvin nodded thoughtfully before letting his Cheshire grin spread across his face. "What to hear my theory?"

Severus sighed, now fairly certain that his life wasn't in immediate peril at least for the moment. "Tell me."

"I think it's because you've got more power in you that you like to show off." Calvin said in an almost accusing tone, as if he had discovered a clever secret. "Looking at you, you don't look like much. But I've seen inside you, Severus. And there's a lot more there than I thought."

Severus arched a brow, "uh, I don't follow?"

"Don't be coy." Calvin admonished him, "I saw your face when you damn near knocked me out at the hotel. You wanted to fight, you wanted to take me on, man to man. And don't bother denying it because we both know it's true."

Severus listened carefully, almost eager to see where this man's insane train of train of thought would travel.

"But you didn't. And, at first, I didn't know why. Of course, I went through all the usual ideas. You were too much of a pussy to face me. You were too much of a snob to fight like a man. You get the idea." Calvin looked around them, "Then I stopped for a minute and I realized something. I realized that you didn't decline for yourself, you decline for Veronica. Any other man around here, me included, he would have taken me up in a heart beat to protect his own pride without thinking about anyone else. But I know my Sugar, and I know she would have made you promise to say no, and you kept your promise because you care about her. You care enough not only to keep your ward, but to realize that if you died, she'd be alone all over again. And you just can't stand that idea, can you?"

Severus was stunned into silence.

Never, in his life, would he have expected such an insightful revelation from a manic who trapped him on a raft in a swamp after arranging for him to be injected with poison.

Speaking of the poison, Severus realized another reason he was silent was because his tongue and other extremities had damn near gone completely numb.

"Well?" Calvin leaned forward. "I realize that poison is probably reaching it's end point. And I am sorry I had to use such methods to get you here, but dammit you didn't leave me much of a choice." Calvin reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a narrow vial.

"Say it" He prompted. "Say that you love her."

Severus blinked at him, "I- "

"Say it, or I will drop this vial into the swamp and you can swim for it." Calvin threateningly dangled the vial over the edge of the boat and Severus gasped involuntarily.

"Of course, I love her." He spat out quickly, words slurred slightly from the heaviness of his jaw and tongue.

Calvin smiled a little before withdrawing the vial from the side of the boat and reaching it out to Severus like a peace offering. "Here, quickly now before the poison numbed your esophagus and you can't swallow."

Severus didn't hesitate to toss back the potion and instantly he felt a release over his body. He eyed Calvin and let out a sigh.

"So, does this mean you don't intend to kill me?"

"No" Calvin shook his head. "But if you ever hurt you, know that next time there will be no antidote."

"I'll remember that" Severus agreed to the terms before letting out a deep breath. "I need to get back, Veronica must be out of her mind by now, I was supposed to be back hours ago."

"Oh, I'm sure she'll be alright" Calvin shrugged, but dipped his wand in the water to propel them forward to the shore "It's Lora Lee I'm worried about."

"Are you still getting married then?"

Calvin shook his head. "No, I called it off this morning. It wouldn't be fair to Lora Lee if I married her knowing what I do."

"Ouch" Severus winced. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be, it never would have worked out. I just proposed to make my mama happy." Calvin confessed. "But I think Lora Lee knew all along."

Severus was disturbed with the ease with which he was able to make casual conversation with the man who had tried to kill him, but strangely he almost felt connected with Calvin.

He didn't like Calvin, nor did he trust him.

But even in his madness, Severus could almost understand the extreme lengths the man went to ensuring that his cousin was in the best hands.

"I know Veronica never wants to see me again" Calvin sighed, "And I'll admit it, I did wrong by her. But…"

"Calvin" Severus cut in, turning to look at the man firmly "I know where you're going with this, but out of respect for Veronica, I can't intervene for you. She doesn't just hate you, she's terrified of you. Hell, when I get back, I don't know what I'm going to tell her because if I tell her the truth, she'll lose her mind."

Calvin nodded sadly, "I get it. Can't blame a guy for trying"

They reached the shore and Severus got out the boat calmly. He turned to Calvin for a moment and felt at is he should say something.

"Calvin?"

"Huh?"

Severus looked around him awkwardly and sighed. "I…I hope you can find peace someday. However it comes to you."

It was a vague sentiment, but it still made Calvin smile.

"Right back at'cha" Calvin nodded and watched him go before turning to the swamp himself, now having much to think over.


	36. The Confession

If there was one thing Veronica knew in this world, it was fear.

She knew it when Calvin killed for the first time when she was 12.

She had known it once more when she had been forced at knife point to remain face down on a sandy beach, while only a few feet away her first husband was beaten to death.

She had known more than her fair share of it over the past two years.

And she knew it right then and there in the streets of Louisiana when she ran into a strange man who told her that Severus was in mortal danger.

But, until today, she had never reacted to fear with violence.

She didn't understand why this younger man knew her name, or why he insisted he came with her, but as soon as he mentioned Severus and Calvin, she followed him.

"I'm so sorry" The young man, who she now knew to be named Lin, nearly sobbed as he crumbled a wad of cash in his fist. "God, this is all my fault! I need to get you to my uncle Monty's right now so you'll be safe!"

Veronica was overwhelmed and on the verge of tears, but the name Monty grabbed her attention. "Monty? Monty Whitefeather is your uncle? Severus knows him, is he there?!"

Lin couldn't answer, only repeated that she would be safe there as the cab rumbled along busted dirt roads until they reached a secluded cabin on the edge of the swamp. Outside stood a tan man with a strange mustache and an orange Hawaiian shirt, lighting citronella candles.

"Uncle Monty!" Lin called, running up to the man. "Uncle Monty, there's trouble."

"Trouble, what trouble?" Monty looked up and glanced at Veronica, "Who's this young lady?"

"This is Veronica Largo, Severus's Veronica." Lin explained before looking away in shame. "Uncle Monty, I did something awful and I need your help."

"Well let's all just sit down." Monty breathed calmly. "Everyone just breathe, alright?"

Monty motioned for them all to sit in the hard-plastic lawn chairs around a glad card table and sighed. "Now, very slowly, explain to me what's going on."

Lin took a breath and threw his wad of money down on the card table. "I'm sorry uncle Monty. I sold out Severus."

"What do you mean?" Monty leaned forward as Veronica's blood ran cold, "sold out to whom?"

"Calvin Largo" Lin breathe and Veronica let out a breathy whine. "He came to me and told me he'd give any amount of money I wanted if I bumped into Severus on the street and administered a slow acting poison. He didn't tell me what to do after that, he said he would take care of it. But after I did it, I followed him for a bit and saw a man take him away into an alley and I lost them."

Monty had gone pale and wiped his face with his hands. "My God, Lin."

"I'm Sorry!"

"This is a man's LIFE, boy! His LIFE!" Monty barked harshly, "You knew what kind of man Calvin Largo is, and you took his blood money all the same!"

Lin shrunk into his chair and Veronica sat still as a statue as Monty stood up and began to pace. "We need to go to the police."

"How much was it?" Veronica asked suddenly, he voice barely above a whisper. The two men looked at her in surprise, but her face never changed from a dead stare.

"The amount doesn't matter now" Monty began to change the subject, but Veronica wouldn't have it.

"I want to know" She pressed, "How. Much. Was it?"

Lin swallowed hard and didn't look at her. "50,000 Dragots." He muttered.

"50,000" Veronica sniffed. "So little? For a man's life?"

"Ms. Largo" Monty stepped in and Veronica turned a steely gaze on Lin.

"I hope if it had been your own life, you would have asked for half as much!" Veronica shouted, shooting up from her chair and lunging at the young man.

The woman was so consumed with rage that she almost could not feel Monty's hands prying her off the cowering Lin, who took blow after blow to his face and head all while not even bothering to raise his arms to block them.

Monty managed to pulled Veronica off of Lin and pinned her arms to her sides as it seemed that her legs collapsed under her and he held her up. The dark-haired woman let out a mournful wail before sobbing violently, her hair curtaining her face. Monty felt his stomach drop as he turned her around and pulled her close to his chest, allowing her to sob into his shoulder.

"Lin" He glared at his nephew, "You will return to your mother's in the morning, but right now you are going to contact the authorities and tell them what you know."

Lin nodded and retreated into the cabin, leaving his uncle to sit Veronica in one of the chairs and sooth her as best he could.

"There may still be a chance." Monty whispered. "He may still be alive, we can't assume anything yet."

Veronica shook her head and spoke through he sobs. "No, I know Calvin. He's gone! I shouldn't have let him leave the room alone, I should have gone with him but I was too much of a coward to leave the hotel!"

"Don't talk like that!" Monty scolded her gently. "You think Severus would have wanted to hear you say such things?"

But Veronica didn't care about that now, all she felt was grief and anger. It washed over her like a tsunami over an unsuspecting dingy on the ocean and consumed her fully, leaving no room of reason. Her tears flowed freely until it hurt to breathe, and even then, they did not stop.

It was all her fault. She never should have told him about job with Jim, about the wedding, and never should have let him come all this way when she knew what could happen.

Severus was dead, and she was to blame.

The sun was beginning to hid itself behind the trees and Veronica soon ran out of tears to shed, leaving her a dazed shell.

"Should we call someone? Maybe the family?" Lin whispered from inside the house and Monty shook his head.

"I don't know. I hate the idea of anyone from that family coming to get her." Monty sighed, "You've really done it this time, Lin. Honestly you have. What were you thinking?"

Lin couldn't reply and his uncle shook his head. "I'm going to go harvest some swamp tea to get her to rest, you stay here and do not move until I get back. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, Uncle Monty." Lin whispered as the man grabbed his flashlight and a plastic Tupper wear bowl before storming outside.

Monty walked the length of the swamp, shining his light on the clay edge to spot any of the herb.

"Hello?"

Monty froze.

The voice.

"Hello?" it came again and Monty whipped around, spotting an approaching light down the swamp bed in the distance.

"Severus?" He whispered before running ahead. "Severus?!"

Severus blinked at the call of his name before smiling a little. "Monty?"

They met in the middle of the trail and eyed each other with relief.

"Thank God It's you. I've been wandering around for hours." Severus chuckled awkwardly.

"I can't believe you're alive" Monty laughed. "You've got to come with me, Veronica- "

"Veronica is with you?"

"She's at my house. Lin brought her there and told us everything. We thought Calvin had done you in!"

"Lin." Severus frowned. "That little son of a- "

"Come one, Come on!" Monty pulled him along. "It's just a few minutes this way!"

Severus ran after him, the two of them reaching the house as the sun set fully.

Veronica sat in the same spot as before, dully watching the citronella candle burn down.

Severus was shocked by house ghostly she looked, from the dead behind her eyes to her haggard appearance. It was clear she had only recently stopped crying, but could go for much longer.

"Veronica?"

The woman looked up and for a moment froze.

Severus stepped forward and knelt by her chair. "Darling, what happened to you? You look awful."

Veronica didn't respond, only opening her mouth slightly as a shaking breath can out and she reached out to touch his cheek and shoulder, softly at first and then more firmly to make sure he was real.

When if became clear that he was, Veronica did not hesitate to throw herself onto him, knocking them both onto the ground as she began to cry once more, only with tears of joy this time.

"You were dead, you were dead!" She cried as Severus laughed and sat up.

"Was I? I don't remember that." He smirked and Veronica embraced him once more, so tight she wanted to meld into him.

Oh god, oh god." She began to cry again, only able to repeat the phrase over and over as Severus pulled her in tightly and wrapped his arms around her.

Lin peered through the doorway and nearly went limp with relief when he saw Severus alive and well.

Severus, however, was not so please.

As soon as he spotted the young man in the door way, his eyes narrowed.

"Judas" He acknowledged Lin curtly.

Lin retreated back into the house and Veronica looked up at Severus.

"I was so afraid. I was so afraid that he had killed you."

"For a second I thought he was going to" Severus nodded. "But something made him decide against it."

"Good God" Veronica sniffed. "Severus, I think we need to go home."

"I agree completely." The dark man nodded. "And we will, our portkey is set to leave at 4 am. And conveniently, it's very near here."

Veronica leaned against him, suddenly overcome with exhaustion from the day. "My Cousin tried to kill me today."

"Pardon?"

"Lora Lee." Veronica sighed. "She hated me, and she tried to kill me today at the hotel."

"Jesus" Severus breathed. "Veronica, you know I love you. But your family is an absolute madhouse."

Veronica froze and pulled away from him. "What did you just say?"

Severus's blood ran cold when he realized his slip up. "Fuck"

"No, no, no" Veronica grabbed his sleeve when he tried to move away from her. "Say it again. Please."

Severus bit his lip and looked down. "I-I can't."

Veronica's face fell and he looked away. "I mean what I said. I really did, but…I just can't say it out loud. It doesn't feel right. Do you understand?"

Veronica thought for a moment before shaking her head. "No, I don't understand"

Severus sighed, waiting for her to stand up and walk away from him. But instead, she crawled into his lap and leaned against his chest, kissing his hands and neck gently.

"But I love you. And I can say it out loud. Is that okay?"

Severus nodded slowly. "Yes, that would be just fine."

"Good" Veronica smiled and looked over at Monty, who had been watching silently with the biggest goofball grin she had ever seen.

"Mr. Whitefeather, I can't thank you enough for this."

"Well I didn't do anything." Monty shrugged. "But what I can do is offer you two a safe place to stay for the rest of the night, and the ill-gotten money my idiot nephew brought here."

"Oh, we couldn't do th- "

"Now hold on." Severus stopped her from declining. "How much money?"

"Severus!"

"I almost _died_ Veronica!"


	37. Chapter 37

Severus knew it was bad form to stare at someone while they slept.

But from the way the moonlight washed over Veronica's bare shoulders, to the slight flutter of her lashes as her eyes twitched in their deep sleep, Severus was sure that if he blinked, she would simply vanish.

He couldn't believe he actually said it.

Out loud and in front of her no less. And when call on it, he didn't even have the guts to face up to it.

How utterly humiliating.

But she didn't seem to care, she had even said it back.

They didn't speak on the matter again, not even when they arrived into Severus's living room at ten am, both still half asleep.

Severus insisted Veronica was too tired to apparate home, and offered his home to her once more. This time, however, he didn't sleep in his office.

For the rest of the summer, Veronica spent many a night at Spinner's end. They didn't always make love, sometimes they just slept or sat up all night reading or writing. But whatever they decided to do, they enjoyed it.

The longer they stayed together, they learned more and more about each other.

Severus learned very quickly that Veronica did not like to debate, even in a friendly manner. It didn't take much for her to get whirled up and red in the face and it took all of Severus's restraint not to make fun of her over it.

In turn, Veronica learned that Severus was a marvelous cook. She wasn't sure why she was surprised, after all cooking isn't so different from potions. He was particularly good at stews, but the first time she tasted his roasted chicken she swore before God that it was the best she had ever tasted.

Above all, they found themselves taking care of each other.

Whether it was escorting them to bed after working through the night, whispering to them through their nightmares, or simply presenting them with an unprompted cup of tea, the two nannied each other more than they did themselves.

While their plans had fallen through, it could never be called a waste. With the money Calvin had indirectly gifted them stowed away, it seemed for a moment that things were finally looking up for the two.

That is, until the end of summer drew closer.

 _ **So this is the end of Honey Bee, if you want to follow the next installment then check out my new story The Swarm on my profile. and thank you all for reading and reviewing so faithfully, I love you so much! See you later!**_


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